Shrouded in Shadows
by demonoftheheaven
Summary: AU Harrison Riddle is a genius in Potions and Transfiguration, but with his father being the Dark Lord Voldemort, having a sociopath for a twin brother, and his unhealthy obsession with experimentation, Harry expected to be isolated from the world for the rest of his life. However, that all changes when Lord Voldemort decides to send his two sons to Hogwarts as spies.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**No pairing.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Harrison Riddle, or Harry as he preferred to be called, was a prodigy in all subjects, but his favorite subjects were Potions and Transfiguration. His father called him a genius in Potions since Harry had managed to create some of his own potions when he was only seven years old. As Harry grew older, he was given his own Potion lab in the Riddle Manor.

Harry stared out of the window. He was waiting for his potion to finish the simmering period so he could add the beetle dung droplets.

"I'm so bored," he muttered to himself.

Harry giggled to himself.

"I must be going crazy if I'm starting to talk to myself," he said.

Harry lit up.

"Oh wait, I'm already crazy," he said.

He shrugged carelessly. The door to his lab slammed open and a masked figure stormed in. The person flung themselves into a nearby chair and groaned. Harry raised an eyebrow. He tugged the dark gray scarf he always wore around his neck. The scarf, as well as having sentimental value, hid a thin pale jagged line on his throat he had had all his life. His messy long black hair was clipped back by hair clips. His pale skin contrasted drastically with the black robes he wore. His eyes were as bright as the Avada Kedavra curse, piercing and unnerving to most people, especially when they held a crazy glint. The green color he had probably gotten from his mother's side; Harry wasn't sure. Voldemort never spoke of his and his brother's mother, claiming she was a traitor and to leave it at that. Although through experimentation, Harry's eye color had become more of a sickly green color.

"Alex~" Harry sang. "What are you doing here?"

The masked person yanked the silver Death Eater mask off their face to reveal an identical teen boy with pale skin, slightly tamer but still messy black hair, and ice blue eyes instead of green.

"I'm tired and I wanted to get away from those incompetent idiots father always keeps around him," Alex said.

"If you are always coming here to get away from father's followers, why did you become a Death Eater?" Harry asked.

He calmly took the cauldron off the burner and added in the last of the ingredients. The potion turned to the correct color. Harry let it cool for a couple minutes.

"Because I specialize in Dark Arts and the only things you specialize in are Transfiguration and Potions. If you specialized in Dark Arts like me, you would be a Death Eater as well," Alex said. "I still don't get what's so fun about Transfiguration or Potions."

"Don't diss it!" Harry exclaimed. "If done correctly, you can transfigure parts of your body to become animal parts and use them like weapons."

"Oh? Like what?" Alex asked, looking at him.

"I recently transfigured my eyes into Basilisk eyes," Harry said. "I can control it to the point I can choose to petrify or kill. My legs are transfigured to be extra strong and fast so I can move quicker. The same with my arms; I could rip off someone's head off if I wanted to."

Harry fingered his wand, which had appeared out of nowhere.

"So what do you say, my dear twin," he purred. "I could...make a few modifications to you if you wish."

"I'll pass," Alex said. "If you so much as point that wand at me, I'll cast the Cruciatus Curse at you and hold you under it until you go crazier than you already are."

"And everyone thinks you're the sane one," Harry grumbled. "You're ten times crazier than me any day Alex."

Harry bottled up the potion quickly and efficiently. A crazy glint appeared in Alex's blue eyes as he pulled out his wand.

"I'll show you crazy," he growled.

But before Alex could do anything, he hissed and gripped his left arm.

"Uh oh, looks like father is mad you left early," Harry said, smirking.

Harry flicked his wand to clean up his station. Alex abruptly grabbed his wrist in an iron tight hold. Harry grunted at the bruising strength.

"You're coming with me," Alex said. "Something tells me he wants both of us there."

Alex roughly dragged Harry out of the lab.

"Oi, let go of me!" Harry exclaimed. "I can get there just fine!"

Alex's grip only tightened in response. He kicked the doors to the throne room open and dragged Harry in with him. Voldemort watched the twins as they drew closer to the throne. Alex dropped into a bow. Harry did the same, his wrist still being held hostage by Alex.

"You summoned, father?" Alex asked.

"Yes, and it is good you brought Harry with you," Voldemort said. "It saves you another trip."

Harry grumbled under his breath while Alex smirked at him.

"It has come to my attention that the two of you are about to turn eleven years old soon," Voldemort said.

"Yes, what about it, father?" Alex asked.

Voldemort took out two envelopes and tossed them to the twins. They got the two letters and looked at them.

"Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"Your new mission," Voldemort said.

"Mission?" Alex asked. "Father, what are you talking about?"

"You said you would never let us go to this school as long as that old man remained alive."

"This is an advantage we simply must take," Voldemort said. "You two are going to Hogwarts as spies."

"Don't your followers have children at Hogwarts?" Harry asked. "Why us?"

"Simple, I trust you two slightly more than I do my followers," Voldemort said. "You two are going whether you like it or not. Severus Snape will be taking you to Diagon Alley to get your supplies tomorrow."

"Father, won't the last name be a bit of a giveaway?" Alex asked.

Voldemort hummed.

"I suppose you are right Alex," he said. "Dumbledore does associate the last name Riddle with me, so we'll change it for you two. I know, you will go by the last name Evans. It is a common enough last name. I'll have Lucius take care of it."

"Good enough," Alex said.

"You leave at seven tomorrow morning." Voldemort said. "Don't be late."

"Yes, father," the twins said dully in unison.

They dragged themselves out of the throne room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next morning, Alex and Harry were ready half an hour before they had to leave. As they waited for Snape, Alex grabbed some white wrappings. He wrapped them around both wrists, since it would look strange for one wrist to be wrapped. He covered the wrappings with his long sleeves.

"This is going to be so boring," Harry groaned. "I've already passed each subject when I was like five."

"How do you think I feel? I specialize in the Dark Arts and now I have to learn how to defend against them," Alex grumbled.

Harry snickered at him. Alex glared at him before lunging forward. He wrapped his hands around Harry's throat and squeezed hard. Harry choked and struggled to get away, but Alex had him pinned down tightly. Suddenly, Snape came into the room and froze at the sight. Alex looked at him with a blank look in his ice blue eyes as if he wasn't currently strangling his younger twin brother to death.

"Um..." Snape trailed off, not sure what to say in a situation like this.

"This isn't what it looks like," Alex said finally.

Snape took a step back. Harry went limp. Alex looked down.

"Oh dear," he said nonchalantly. "Looks like I got a little carried away."

Alex released Harry and gently slapped his cheeks. He sighed and went to Harry's side of the room, rummaging through the different potion bottles the younger twin kept. He found a dark red potion and knelt down next to Harry.

"Good thing you forced me to memorize what all your stupid potions look like," Alex muttered as he forced the potion down Harry's throat.

Harry gasped to life a second later, coughing and choking.

"Damn you, you sociopath," Harry exclaimed, his voice slightly raspy. "You could've killed me!"

"Nah," Alex said, draping an arm over Harry's shoulders. "If I wanted to kill you, dear little brother, I would torture you first and then kill you."

Alex smiled cheerfully and ruffled Harry's black messy hair.

"Let's go," he said.

Harry glared daggers at him as he got up, rubbing his now bruised throat. Harry grabbed his dark gray scarf and wrapped it around his neck, effectively hiding the purple hand shaped bruises. The twins brushed past Snape.

"Come on Snape," Alex said, not even bothering to turn around. "You're supposed to be coming with us to that infernal alleyway, right?"

Snape turned on his heel and followed them quickly, his black cape billowing out.

"Do you two have the letters?" Snape asked.

"Yes, and our last name is Evans," Alex said.

"I know; the Dark Lord has already informed me," Snape said.

The three walked out of the manor.

* * *

Harry gaped in awe. Alex was forced to grab his arm and drag him after Snape.

"Harry, it isn't that amazing," Alex said. "Snap out of it, would you?"

Harry glared at him.

"I think you're forgetting that I rarely leave the manor," he said.

"Rarely leave the manor?" Alex asked, snorting. "I've been with you since the day we were born and you never stepped foot out of that manor. In fact, you barely even step out of that stupid lab of yours! I have to literally drag you everywhere because you're so obsessed with experimentation."

"That experimentation saved my life today," Harry muttered.

"I heard that," Alex said.

"You're lucky I wear a scarf every day," Harry exclaimed.

Alex glanced at the scarf and blinked.

"I didn't know you even had that old thing still," he said. "I gave you that when we were like five and I forced myself to learn how to knit without magic."

"It's for sentimental value...and other things," Harry said. "It reminds me of the days when you were nice and not a psychotic bastard."

"I'm still nice," Alex growled.

"Not very convincing," Harry retorted.

Alex grinded his teeth and his hands twitched as if he were about to strangle Harry again.

"If I may interrupt," Snape cut in. "If you two are finished squabbling, we should move on. You've been standing there for the past ten minutes and you are getting strange looks."

The twins blinked and looked around. Sure enough, they had stopped walking and people were casting strange looks at them. Alex scoffed.

"Fine, let's go," Alex said.

Harry giggled and followed his twin. They walked to the bank first. Harry looked around at everything while Alex and Snape were up ahead. Suddenly, Harry crashed into someone and he fell to the ground.

"Watch where you're going!" a rude voice exclaimed.

Harry rubbed his head as he looked up to see a slightly chubby boy the same age as him, maybe slightly older. The boy had hazel brown hair with tanned skin. His eyes were a hazel brown color and he wore glasses. He wore expensive robes with the Potter crest embroidered on his right breast.

"My apologies," Harry said.

He stood up and dusted off his simple black robes. He adjusted his scarf.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" the boy demanded rudely.

Harry knew exactly who he was. Anyone with a brain would know the Potter crest at first glance. But he decided to have a little fun and irritate the boy more.

"No," he said, tilting his head in confusion. "Should I?"

The boy looked offended.

"How do you not know who I am?!" he exclaimed. "I'm Eric Potter, the sole heir of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter!"

Eric puffed his chest out to show off the crest proudly. Harry blinked innocently.

"What's the House of Potter?" he asked in the most confused voice he could muster without snickering.

Eric Potter began fuming in anger, turning red quickly. Harry stifled a giggle.

"You idiotic midget," Eric exclaimed. "How can you live here and not know about the Potters?!"

"I guess I don't get out much," Harry said.

Harry looked Eric up and down.

"For an heir of a noble house, you certainly don't look like one," Harry said.

Harry leaned in, smirking. His pupils slit briefly.

"You look more like a spoiled brat," he said softly.

"Why you-

Eric raised a fist and made to punch Harry. A hand came out of nowhere and grabbed Eric's wrist.

"Were you about to hit my little brother?" Alex's voice came.

Alex came around Eric with a strained smile on his lips. His eyes, however, were promising murder.

"I didn't know noble heirs were so stuck-up that they would hit someone just for not knowing them, Potter," Alex said.

Alex's grip on Eric's wrist tightened, making Eric gasp in pain and struggle to get away. Alex leaned in.

"Lay a hand on him again and I will personally gut you with a rusty knife," Alex growled.

Alex released Eric and went over to Harry.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

To anyone else, Alex sounded like he was very concerned for the wellbeing of his younger twin brother. But Harry knew better; Alex was just acting. Alex never truly cared about anyone, being the sociopath he was. The only reason why Alex stepped in to defend him was because Alex believed he was the only one allowed to hurt Harry.

"I'm fine Alex," Harry said. "You stepped in before he could hit me."

"That's good," Alex said. "He is a pompous brat. I hate him already."

"You hate everyone," Harry said.

"I care somewhat about you," Alex said.

Harry snorted.

"Yeah, because strangling me is a sign of tender and loving care," he muttered.

"Let's just go," Alex growled.

Alex grabbed Harry by the arm and dragged him away.

"Hey Potter," Harry called over his shoulder.

Eric looked at him, still looking slightly pained and confused.

"I knew who you were all along, but seeing you turn as red as a tomato was too much fun to pass up," Harry called, cackling slightly.

Eric growled and his face turned red in anger again. Harry cackled as he was dragged away by Alex. Once they were with Snape again, Alex released Harry.

"What was with you?" Alex asked.

"I just wanted to mess with his head," Harry said, shrugging. "Plus, he's obviously had everything waited to him on a silver platter since birth. He needed someone to knock his ego down a few pegs."

"Don't get carried away. Remember what we're here for," Alex said.

Harry elbowed his brother in the ribs. Alex grunted.

"Lighten up Alex," he said. "You have to admit seeing him turn into a tomato was really funny to watch."

Alex sighed but couldn't stop the slight twitch his lips made upwards.

"...Fine, it was pretty funny," Alex said.

Harry smirked in triumph.

"Come on, we're going to the vaults," Snape said.

They were led to the carts and were soon practically flying down deep into the bank. Harry giggled in joy. Alex looked faintly amused but remained stoic otherwise. Snape looked slightly green and very unamused.

"The Riddle vault," the goblin said.

The goblin unlocked the vault and the twins walked in.

"Wow, didn't know father was so generous for his children," Harry said, looking around at the columns of money.

Alex was already scooping money into the small charmed sack he held. Harry followed his example and shoveled as much money as he could into his own small charmed sack. The sacks were charmed to be bottomless and weightless.

They went back up to the main floor of the bank and then out of Gringotts.

"And now for the books," Snape said.

"Books!" Harry exclaimed in glee and grinning like a maniac.

"Careful little brother, you're drooling," Alex said dully. "And close your mouth; it's very unattractive."

Harry's mouth snapped close before he charged towards the bookstore...only to be grabbed by the back of the collar by Alex.

"We're only here for the school books. You can buy more later," Alex said.

Harry pouted. Alex's eye twitched.

"...Fine," he said. "You can buy three extra books; no more."

Harry grinned and practically dragged Alex into the store. Alex got the books he and Harry needed for school. He gave them to Snape before going to search for his twin. He found Harry buried behind a mountain of books.

"I leave you alone for less than ten minutes, and you're already surrounded by dozens of books," Alex said.

"I can't decide which ones I want," Harry said.

"Pick three," Alex said. "You have ten seconds to do so before I hex you into the next century."

It ended up taking Harry twenty minutes to pick the three books. By then, Alex looked ready to murder him. They paid for the books and left the store.

"I hate you," Alex growled.

Harry ignored him, happy that he got at least three books. After that, they got their school robes.

"Alex, calm down," Harry said cheerfully.

"Easy for you to say," Alex snapped. "I should've killed you this morning. Then I wouldn't have to deal with all this crap."

"I love you too brother," Harry said, looking around at the shops.

Snape looked at the letter.

"I believe we're done shopping," he said.

"Oh thank god!" Alex exclaimed. "I was getting ready to curse someone if this dragged on!"

"Let's just go back to the manor," Snape said, inching away from the older twin.

Harry pouted.

"But I wanted to explore more," he exclaimed.

Alex draped an arm around Harry's shoulder. Harry felt the tip of his twin's wand dig into his side.

"I thought you were tired from all this shopping and walking around, little brother," Alex said in a false concerned tone. "You said that earlier, yes?"

"Er...yeah," Harry said. "We can come back another time, right?"

"Yeah, sure," Alex said, his smile strained.

They Apparated back to the manor.

"Did everything go well?" Voldemort asked.

"Yes," Snape said.

"Harry had a run-in with the Potter heir, but nothing too bad," Alex said.

"I see," Voldemort said. "Keep an eye on Eric Potter, both of you. Now, get ready for your departure. Your train leaves in three days."

The twins left.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Three days passed quickly. Alex and Harry shrank their luggage down and traveled to the train station by the Floo. They quickly found an empty compartment and sat down. Alex looked out the window while Harry pulled out a book and quickly began reading. It was half an hour before the train left the station.

"How boring," Alex muttered.

"Then read a book," Harry said, not even looking at his brother.

Alex leaned forward and looked at Harry's books. He picked one up on advanced potions and opened it. About an hour later, their peaceful environment was interrupted by the compartment door opening. Alex looked up to see a bushy haired girl. Harry didn't even glance up.

"Have you seen a toad anywhere?" the girl asked.

"No," Alex said.

The girl lit up when she saw the books surrounding Harry. She walked in and leaned in to see the titles of the books.

"You have an interest for Transfiguration and Potions?" the girl asked. "Those are two subjects that are really hard at Hogwarts. It's good to get a head start. Can I see one?"

The girl made to pick up one book. Harry's hand lashed out and grabbed her wrist. His Avada Kedavra green eyes glared into her intensely.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Harry growled.

The girl froze, her eyes wide in terror. Alex calmly shut his book.

"Release her Harry," he said.

Harry didn't move; instead his grip tightened. The girl gasped in pain and struggled to get away.

"Let her go Harry," Alex said.

Harry looked at him. Alex fixed with an icy look, his ice blue eyes drilling into his twin. Harry didn't react; he just released his grip on the girl's wrist. He picked up another book and opened it, ignoring everyone.

"I apologize for my twin's behavior," Alex said. "My name is Alex Evans. My twin is Harry."

"H-Hermione Granger," the girl said, looking nervously at Harry.

"Yes, Harry is rather...possessive of his books," Alex said. "He loves them more than people."

"I'm sorry," Hermione said.

"You were searching for a toad?" Alex asked.

"Y-yes," Hermione said, still recovering from the previous events. "I-I'll be going now.

Hermione rushed out of the compartment, forgetting to close the door. Alex sighed, slightly annoyed. He stood up and closed the door.

"She's annoying," Harry said.

"Because she tried to touch one of your books?"

"She strikes me as one of those know-it-alls," Harry said, turning a page in his book. "And yes, also because she presumed she had the right to touch my books without permission."

"You let me borrow your books," Alex pointed out.

"You are my twin. That girl was a stranger. I trust you to take care of my books. Besides, if I didn't let you borrow my books, you would curse me," Harry said.

Alex smirked slightly. He noticed a small black book on top of a stack close to Harry. He reached forward and snatched the book. Harry's eyes widened and he tried to take it back. Alex pointed his wand at his face, forcing Harry to freeze.

"What is this, dear little brother?" Alex asked.

"Nothing," Harry said, gritting his teeth. "Give it back!"

"Sure looks important," Alex said. "Especially if you're acting very defensive of it."

Alex opened the book and looked at the first page. He frowned.

"It must be very important if you are writing everything in Parselscript," he said.

Alex turned the page and began reading. Being the sons of the Dark Lord, the twins had the ability to use Parseltongue.

Alex's eyes widened ever so slightly. He looked up at Harry.

"What the hell is this?" he demanded.

Harry shoved Alex's wand out of his face and snatched the book back. He took out his own wand and casted a silencing spell and a locking spell.

"This must not be heard by anyone," Harry said. "Father gave me a mission. I don't know why he didn't include you though. He's tasked me with finding the Horcrux he left in Hogwarts. I'm to bring it to him."

"You have research on those things in that book," Alex said.

"I had to understand what they were first. Father never really explained it in depth to me," Harry said. "All he said was that I would be looking for a diadem. He didn't tell me where it was hidden though; he said something about it being a test of my skills and loyalty."

Harry opened the book to a page in the middle. He turned it around, showing Alex a drawing of a small crown. It was colored in gray.

"There's only one diadem rumored to be at Hogwarts. Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem," Harry said. "Her daughter stole the diadem and hid it. I've also located two other Horcruxes, but they are nowhere near Hogwarts."

"Where are they?" Alex asked.

"Do you remember Regulas Black?"

"All too well, the traitor," Alex said. "He stole something valuable from father."

"What he stole was a Horcrux," Harry said.

Harry flipped the pages to a drawing of a locket.

"Slytherin's locket," Alex said, staring at the drawing.

"Black stole the locket and hid it somewhere nobody knows," Harry said. "However, I did some digging. I have a theory that he took the locket to the Black ancestral home, 12 Grimmauld Place."

"That's a problem. Nobody except those of the Black family know where that place is," Alex said.

"Yes, but I found out who the professors for this year will be," Harry said, smirking. "James and Lily Potter have become professors, Flying and Arithmancy respectively. Not only that, but Dumbledore also hired another professor to teach DADA. He just so happens to be the sole survivor of the Black family, Sirius Black."

"What are you saying we do?" Alex asked.

"Well, you see, I used my Animagus form as a cat to follow Black to Grimmauld Place once. I didn't hear the password. However, he did have several people with him, mostly Weasleys and also the Potters and Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore has moved the Order of the Phoenix, hasn't he?" Alex asked. "They're headquartered at Black's place now."

"Correct," Harry said.

Harry snapped the black book shut.

"That's all I have for now," he said. "Father only thinks I know about the diadem when I actually know about all the Horcruxes."

"It's enough," Alex said. "I'll tell father about this...about the Order. I'll keep quiet about the Horcruxes for now."

Harry nodded in thanks and placed the black book into his robes. He then picked up another book and began reading it. Alex set to work writing a letter to Voldemort.

* * *

They arrived at Hogwarts late at night. They followed Hagrid to the boats, across the lake, and to the front entrance of the castle. McGonagall met them there. Soon, they were led into the Great Hall.

"I read that the ceiling is enchanted to look like the night sky," the twins overheard Hermione say to a nearby student.

Harry smirked at Alex.

"Told you so," he said. "She's an annoying know-it-all."

Alex rolled his eyes in response. They reached the front of the hall. The sorting hat broke into song. Harry was barely listening to it, instead taking the time to study the professors. His gaze landed on Snape and Harry hummed. Snape glanced at him and Harry gave an innocent smile, making the professor look away quickly.

McGonagall began calling out names.

"Evans, Alexander," she called finally.

Alex went up and the hat was placed over his head.

_"My, my...you have strong shields, Mr. Evans."_ the hat said. "_Can you lower them so I may place you in the correct house?_"

Alex didn't reply.

"_I assure you I am forbidden from giving any information about students to anyone_," the hat said.

Alex hesitantly lowered the shield.

"_Ah Mr. Riddle, the older twin I see. For your age, you have a very dark soul. You are not fond of people either; the only one you can tolerate being around for long periods of time is your younger twin,"_ the hat said. _"You are more cunning than your father and very specialized in the Dark Arts. I know just the place to put you."_

"SLYTHERIN!"

The hat was taken off Alex's head. He gracefully stood up and made his way to the Slytherin table.

"Evans, Harrison," McGonagall called next.

Harry cheerfully walked up, an amused smirk playing across his lips. He squirmed impatiently as the hat was lowered onto his head.

"_You also have strong shields, much stronger than your brother. Could you lower them please? I am forbidden from giving any information about a student to anyone."_ the hat said.

Harry's smirk grew slightly as he lowered his shields.

_"The younger twin; very pleased to meet you Mr. Riddle,_" the hat said. _"You are cunning, like your brother...however you have one of the smartest minds I have ever seen. How extraordinary, especially for one your age. I know exactly where to place you."_

"RAVENCLAW!"

Harry took the hat off and skipped down to the blue and bronze colored table. Once the feast began, Harry only grabbed a cup of tea. He sipped at it calmly and turned slightly to look at his brother. Alex was chewing on a piece of broccoli. Harry chuckled under his breath.

The twins had always been peculiar in their eating habits. Alex was vegan, despising the taste of meat and dairy. Harry was borderline anorexic, but when he did eat, or rather when Alex forced him to eat, he tended to eat meat that was cooked on the bloody side. Due to his Transfiguration experiments on himself, Harry had grown cravings for rarely cooked meats. His stomach could handle it since it was a carnivore's stomach.

Harry stared at his twin. Alex felt his eyes and ice blue orbs met Harry's Avada Kedavra green orbs. They were identical twins, the only difference being the color of their eyes and hair style. Alex's hair was slightly tamer while Harry's stuck up all over the place.

Alex narrowed his eyes before turning back to his diet of vegetables and rice. He ignored the other Slytherins' attempts of speaking to him. Harry snickered as he took another sip of his tea. He felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to the boy sitting next to him.

"Hi, I'm Terry Boot," the boy said.

"Harry Evans," Harry said.

"Nice to meet you Harry," Terry said. "Who were you looking at over there?"

"My twin," Harry said, taking another sip.

"Twins?" Terry asked, looking over at the Slytherin table. "Wow, you two are identical."

"Our eye color is different," Harry said. "His are blue."

"I can only think of one more pair of identical twins. The Weasley twins," Terry said.

"Actually, there is another pair of twins this year," a second Ravenclaw said. "The Patil twins, Parvati and Padma. Padma's in Ravenclaw while Parvati is in Gryffindor."

"Three sets of twins. Wow," Terry exclaimed. "Patil twins, Weasley twins, and the Evans twins. This year is going to be so confusing."

Harry rolled his eyes and sighed inwardly. This was going to be a long and boring year.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Harry yawned as he walked into the Great Hall. It was early morning, a little over an hour before classes started. He slumped down into a seat at the Ravenclaw table. He grabbed a cup of black tea and sipped at it. He wore his Hogwarts uniform along with his usual dark gray scarf.

He felt someone tap his shoulder. Thinking it was Terry, Harry growled in annoyance.

"Go away," he hissed. "I'm not in the mood."

"Is that any way to talk to your own brother?"

Harry blinked in surprise and turned just in time to see Alex sit next to him.

"I thought you were someone else," Harry said.

Alex rolled his eyes as he grabbed some toast and put strawberry jam on it. Alex looked over and raised an eyebrow, eyeing Harry's tea.

"Is that all you're going to have?" he asked. "I know you didn't eat anything last night."

"Since when do you care about my health?" Harry asked.

"Even I think your eating habits are concerning," Alex said.

"Something's wrong with you. You're never this nice to me...or anyone for that matter," Harry said.

"No I'm not," Alex agreed. "You're the only one I can tolerate."

"Not even father?"

"I tolerate him too, but much less so," Alex admitted. "I just follow his orders."

Harry hummed as he took a sip from his tea.

"So why are you at the Ravenclaw table?" he asked.

"I prefer your company to those idiots from Slytherin," Alex said.

Harry touched a hand to his heart.

"I feel so honored," he said, slightly sarcastically.

Alex glared at him. Harry snickered slightly. He hissed in pain as Alex hexed him.

"That hurt," Harry grumbled.

"Then shut up," Alex muttered.

Alex finished his toast.

"This is a waste of time," he said.

"Sitting here or being at the school?" Harry asked, digging through his bookbag for a book.

"Being here," Alex replied.

Harry found the book he wanted and pulled it out.

"You know full well what we're doing here," he said. "Father sent us here for a reason. We already know each subject, having been trained in them since we were old enough to walk and talk. Therefore, we have more time to gather information."

"I suppose you're right," Alex said. "It does not mean I like it though."

"Suck it up," Harry said. "I dislike it even more than you do."

"Oh yes, I forget that you love to spend all your time cooped up in that lab of yours," Alex said.

Harry rolled his eyes as he opened his book to a specific page and began reading. After a few minutes of silence, Alex leaned in towards Harry.

"Harry," Alex whispered.

Harry looked up slightly.

"You deal with finding father's you-know-what. I'll take care of the other stuff," Alex muttered.

"You sure?" Harry breathed out.

Alex gave a tiny nod.

"If you find out anything, tell me. But focus on finding it," he whispered.

Harry nodded once in acceptance.

"Fine," he said.

Alex pulled away. More students began coming into the Great Hall. Soon, the heads of the houses were handing out the schedules. Flitwick came back.

"Hello Mister Evans...and Mister Evans," Flitwick exclaimed cheerfully.

The short professor handed Harry his schedule. A few minutes later, Snape walked over and gave Alex his schedule.

"In the future, please sit at your designated table, Mister Evans," Snape said stiffly.

"My apologies for the confusion, professor," Alex said, not sounding sorry at all. "I wanted to see how my twin was doing; that is all."

Snape stared him for a few more seconds before walking away, his black cloak billowing out behind him.

Alex looked at his schedule, not noticing Harry staring after Snape. Harry's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Snape finish handing out schedules to the rest of the Slytherins.

"Looks like most of my classes are with the Gryffindors," Alex said. "What about you?"

Harry looked down at his schedule.

"Most of mine are with the Hufflepuffs," he said. "We have Flying together though."

Alex groaned.

"I never did like flying. Not to mention, the worst person is teaching it," he muttered this last part.

Harry giggled at his brother's irritation.

"Shut up," Alex said. "I'll hex you again."

Harry only smiled.

"Let's go find our classes," he said. "I memorized the map."

Alex grabbed his bookbag and stood up. The twins exited together.

* * *

Harry walked to lunch with the other Ravenclaws. Two of the other first years, Terry and Padma, had decided they were Harry's friends and stuck to him, despite what Harry did to get rid of them.

"Harry, you're so good at Charms. Can you help me with the homework?" Terry asked. "Please?!"

"Sure, whatever," Harry said.

"Thanks!" Terry exclaimed.

Harry saw Alex and perked up.

"Alex!" he called.

Alex looked over and made to walk over. A first year Slytherin caught his sleeve and spoke softly. Alex scoffed and shoved the Slytherin off his arm and walked over to Harry.

"What?" he asked.

"Can I sit with you for lunch?" Harry asked.

"Sure," Alex said. "Better you than those nosy idiots. Which table?"

"Doesn't matter, but I don't think your buddies like me very much," Harry said, biting his lip.

"So this is your twin," Terry said. "I'm Terry Boot."

"Padma Patil," Padma said, smiling kindly in greeting.

"Alex Evans," Alex said curtly.

"Uh oh, your friends are coming over," Harry said, stifling a smirk.

Alex sighed under his breath in irritation.

"Alex, what are you doing, hanging out with these guys?" a Slytherin asked. "You're supposed to stick with those in your house."

"Not really," Padma said. "You can hang out with anyone you want."

"I wasn't talking to you," the Slytherin said.

"How come this Ravenclaw looks like you?" a second Slytherin asked, studying Harry.

Alex glared at them with icy cold blue eyes, making them step back slightly from the intensity.

"This is my twin brother, Harry," he said. "Am I not allowed to associate with my twin?"

"Your twin?" a third Slytherin asked. "You two look identical...except for the eyes."

"Can we just go eat lunch now?" a fourth Slytherin asked, sounding a little annoyed.

"Are you coming Alex?" the first Slytherin asked.

"No," Alex said. "I'm going with my twin."

Without waiting for the other Slytherins to reply, Alex grabbed Harry's wrist and dragged the younger twin into the Great Hall. They sat down at the end of the Ravenclaw table.

"They're so annoying sometimes," Alex said, eye twitching slightly.

Harry sighed as he piled vegetables onto a plate and put it in front of his twin.

"Just eat your vegetables," he said.

Alex bit into a green bean.

"Eat something," he said.

"I wouldn't want to freak people out with my carnivore appetite," Harry said, drinking a cup of pumpkin juice.

"Eat something or I'll shove this entire plate down your throat," Alex said.

"Keep your rabbit food away from me," Harry said.

Alex snorted as he took another bite. Harry grabbed some meat from nearby platters and ate it reluctantly. His lip curled in slight disgust as the cooked meat hit his tongue.

"Not raw enough for you?"

Harry put down his fork.

"Maybe," he said.

"Just call a house elf and ask for a plate of rarely cooked meat," Alex muttered.

Harry snapped his fingers and a house elf appeared.

"Hello, how can I help you?" the house elf asked in a high pitched voice.

"Can I get a plate of barely cooked meat? Make sure there is a little bit of blood on it still," Harry requested.

"Of course," the house elf said perkily.

The house elf disappeared in a crack and appeared a second later with a plate. Harry took the plate.

"Thank you," he said.

The house elf smiled brightly before disappearing in another crack. Harry attacked the bloodied meat. The other Ravenclaws looked disgusted.

"I think I lost my appetite," one said, looking green.

Alex remained unfazed as the twins finished eating. Harry licked the blood off his fingers.

"Use a napkin, idiot," Alex said.

Harry made a face at him as he reached for a napkin. He cleaned off his pale slender fingers.

"What's your next class?" Harry asked.

"Herbology," Alex said.

"Transfiguration for me," Harry said.

Harry pouted.

"Why do I have to go to that class? I'm already really good at that subject," he grumbled.

"Deal with it," Alex said. "It just means minimal effort for you."

"It also means it's going to be boring," Harry exclaimed.

They walked out of the hall. Harry yawned and stretched. He adjusted his scarf to cover more of his neck.

"Aren't you hot with that thing on?" Alex asked.

"No," Harry said. "Even if I was hot, I still wouldn't take it off. This scarf means a lot to me. It's the only thing you've given me."

"You find it that important? It's so old though. It's literally falling apart," Alex said.

"But Alex, you handmade it just for me! Of course I'm going to keep it on at all times. You're never nice to me anymore." Harry exclaimed.

"Let's just get to class before I do something I'll regret later," Alex said, looking away.

"Like what?"

"Like kill you for good," Alex grumbled.

"You know, you're always saying that, but you never go through with it," Harry said, holding up a finger.

Alex glared at him murderously, his hand twitching towards his wand. Harry laughed nervously and backed away.

"Forget what I said," he said.

"You have a death wish?" Alex hissed.

Harry laughed again, smiling innocently.

"Of course not~" he said smoothly. "Just stating the truth, dear brother."

Alex clenched his fists tightly. Harry turned on his heel to escape to his next class. He only took one step forward before crashing into someone. Harry grunted as he was knocked backwards. He landed on the ground, his bookbag thankfully not spilling everywhere.

"Oi! Watch where you're going!" a familiar voice exclaimed.

Harry looked up to see Eric Potter with his two friends.

"Hey, it's you! You crashed into me at the bank too!" Eric exclaimed.

Harry stood up, dusting off his robes and adjusting his bookbag.

"It isn't nice to bump into people," he said.

"You're the one who bumped into me!" Eric exclaimed, pointing at him.

"Didn't your parents tell you that it was rude to point to people?" Harry asked, smirking slightly.

"Why you-

Hermione and Ron had to hold their friend back from lunging at Harry. Harry giggled behind his hand.

"Eric mate, he isn't worth it," Ron said. "Let's just go."

Eric took a few deep breathes to calm down.

"My, my, you certainly have anger issues, Potter," Harry said. "Maybe you should go to anger management."

Eric started forward again, his face red with anger.

"Eric! Stop it!" Hermione exclaimed, grabbed Eric's arm.

"Well if he gets anger that easily, he definitely needs anger management," Harry said, giggling.

"Damn you Evans! You'll pay for that!" Eric shouted.

"Eric!" Hermione exclaimed. "You can't get into another fight! You already have one detention!"

"Ooh, troublemaker~" Harry sang. "Detention already? And on the first day! So naughty Potter~"

Harry danced out of Eric's reach as the other boy lunged at him. Alex suddenly appeared out seemingly nowhere, startling the three Gryffindors. Alex grabbed Harry by the arm.

"Quit antagonizing him Harry," Alex said. "I will not be late to class because you decided to have some fun."

Harry pouted.

"Killjoy," he grumbled.

Alex rolled his eyes as he dragged Harry away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Alex walked into his Potions class. He sat down and glared at anyone who tried to sit down next to him. He was never a people person. More students slowly filed into the classroom. Suddenly, Hermione sat down next to him, ignoring the surprised glances she got from the other students, Eric and Ron in particular.

"Why are you sitting here?" Alex asked.

"I wanted to apologize for my friend's actions towards your brother," Hermione said.

"Then you should be apologizing to Harry, not me," Alex said, looking away from the Gryffindor.

Hermione sighed.

"It's just he's very...creepy," she said hesitantly.

She blushed slightly at admitting that. Alex raised an eyebrow at her.

"You seem unapproachable, but there's something about Harry that almost isn't...human," Hermione continued. "I feel like his eyes glow sometimes; that green color is abnormal. And he's constantly watching people as if dissecting them in his head. It is very unsettling."

"I see," Alex said. "He's always been a little disturbing. Harry almost never left the house until Hogwarts."

"He never left? What did he do?" Hermione asked, blinking in surprise. "What about friends?"

"No friends," Alex said. "I didn't have friends either. Harry was very invested in learning every subject there was and therefore never made the time nor effort to make friends. For me, I never saw the point in making friends."

"Oh," Hermione said.

That was all she could say before Snape walked into the door, slamming the door open. Everyone except Alex jumped in surprise.

"Quiet down," Snape said.

The professor went through roll call, coming down to Eric's name.

"Eric Potter," Snape sneered. "Our famous celebrity."

Eric shifted uncomfortably underneath Snape's scrutinous gaze. Snape finally looked away and scanned the other students. His gaze lingered a little longer on Alex before moving on.

"There will be no foolish wand waving in this class. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death...but that is if you are not all idiots."

Snape paused. The entire class was silent.

"Mr. Potter," Snape suddenly snapped. "Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Eric looked down slightly. Hermione's hand shot into the air eagerly. Alex glanced at her before looking away. His lip curled in slight disgust. His brother was right about her being a know-it-all and he would admit, it was annoying.

"I don't know sir," Eric said.

"Hmm...looks like fame isn't everything, correct? Let's try again," Snape said. "Where would you find a bezoar?"

Eric's cheeks were flushed in embarrassment as he answered.

"I don't know."

Hermione's hand somehow managed to go even higher. Alex sighed inwardly. The questions Snape were asking fairly easy to answer as long as you read a beginner's level potions book...or if you had a genius twin brother obsessed with potions. In Alex's case, it was the latter. Harry had taught him a lot about potions including the basics and then some more. He was no potions genius, but Alex could brew all the basic potions thanks to his brother beating the subject into his head...figuratively.

"Didn't think to open a book before coming to class Potter?" Snape asked, sneering.

In the background, some of the Slytherins that consisted of Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and others could be heard quietly snickering.

"I'll give you one last chance. What is the different between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Snape asked coldly.

Alex almost snorted. That was possibly the easiest question in potions to answer. Next to him, Hermione actually stood up.

"I don't know," Eric said even softer. "How about you ask Hermione?"

Snape sighed in irritation.

"Sit down Granger," he said. "A point from Gryffindor for your cheek Potter."

Snape glanced around the classroom.

"Asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful, it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and can save you from most poisons. As for the different between monkshood and wolfsbane, there is none. They are the same plant, also known as aconite. Are all of you writing this down?"

Everyone scrambled for parchment and a quill, quickly writing everything down.

"Today, we will be brewing a simple potion that cures boils. The instructions are on the board and the ingredients are set out at the front. Pair up into partners and get started."

"I'll get the ingredients," Hermione said, already standing up.

Alex didn't acknowledge her words. Instead, he set up the cauldron and other equipment. A few minutes later, Hermione came back with all the ingredients. Alex looked at the board and frowned slightly. Hermione was already getting started.

"Wait," Alex said.

Hermione looked at him in confusion.

"I've brewed the potion before. I'll tell you the instructions as we brew," Alex said.

Hermione hesitated before nodding. Alex quietly told her the instructions as they began brewing the potion. The class was quiet save for the clattering of vials, chopping of knives, and quiet chatter. Snape walked by, observing and inspecting.

There was a sudden loud hissing sound accompanied by acid green smoke. Everyone looked over to see Neville's cauldron all twisted and mangled. Neville himself was on the ground, covered in angry red boils.

"You fool! I suppose you added the porcupine needles before taking the cauldron off the fire?" Snape snarled.

Snape flicked his wand at the ruined cauldron and it disappeared. Neville whimpered in pain. Snape looked at Seamus, Neville's partner.

"Take him to the hospital wing," he said.

Seamus nodded and gently helped Neville to his feet, walking out of the dungeon. Snape looked at Eric and Ron.

"You two should have told him to take the cauldron off. You were working right next to him after all. Another point from Gryffindor," Snape said.

Eric growled and glared murderously at Snape as the professor turned. Ron kicked his leg, giving him a warning look. Eric reluctantly turned back to his potion.

"I hope he'll be all right," Hermione said, frowning in concern.

"Shut up and hand me those," Alex said, pointing.

Hermione handed him the indicated ingredient. Alex stirred it in.

"It's done," he said after a few more minutes.

"That fast?" Hermione asked. "I thought for sure it would take longer."

Alex began bottling up the potion. Snape walked over to them.

"May I ask what you are doing Mr. Evans? Your potion should not be done yet," Snape said.

"It is professor," Alex said, looking at the professor.

Snape looked at the potion and frowned.

"How did you finish it so quickly? Everyone else is only halfway through their potion," he said.

Hermione's eyebrows shot up in shock.

"I have brewed this potion before professor. I am merely following the instructions I was taught in brewing this potion," Alex said.

"Who taught you to brew potions?" Snape asked.

"My brother," Alex said calmly.

"Wait, as in your younger twin brother Harry?!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Correct," Alex said. "He is a potions fanatic, but his skills are prodigal, especially in potions. He taught me how to brew the basic potions using his own methods."

"Oh? How interesting," Snape said. "Put your vials on my desk at the front. And I look forward to seeing your brother brew potions in this class."

Snape walked away. Alex and Hermione went up to the front and put their vials down on the desk.

"So is it true? Harry taught you potions?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Alex said.

"But he's only eleven," Hermione said. "Who did he learn potions from?"

"Nobody," Alex said. "He read books on potions and taught himself. Then, once he got good enough, he taught me as well. He taught me the basics in other subjects as well."

"Your brother is a genius! I had no idea," Hermione exclaimed excitedly. "Do you think it'd be okay if I asked him to help me study?"

"I wouldn't be so sure," Alex said. "Harry is not fond of people; that is another reason why he never left the house before we came to Hogwarts. Like me, he can hardly tolerate other people. He spent most of his time cooped up in his lab back home. I usually had to drag him out and look after him."

Alex hummed thoughtfully.

"Speaking of, I don't think I've seen him eat for the past three days." he said. "And the dark circles under his eyes did get darker."

"You care about him a lot," Hermione said, smiling slightly.

Alex scoffed.

"I tolerate him as he does me," he said. "I merely find his presence preferable to others."

Hermione chuckled knowingly.

"If you wish to form a study group with him, ask him yourself. Just know he will most likely reject your proposal," Alex said.

Hermione pouted at that.

Class soon ended after that. Alex, having memorized his schedule, had a free period next. He walked to the Slytherin dormitories, speaking the password. He entered his room and dumped his bookbag by his bed. He pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and began writing a letter to his father, giving a simple report of everything that had happened so far in the past week. He rolled up the scroll and put it in his bookbag. He flopped onto his bed and closed his eyes, relishing in the temporary silence.

* * *

It was an hour later when Alex woke up. He sat up and casted a tempus spell, checking the time. It was almost time for dinner. Alex grabbed the letter from his bag and tucked it into his robes as he walked out of the dorms. He quickly joined a group of fourth years that were heading up to the Great Hall. They welcomed him into their group. The walk up to the Great Hall was mostly quiet. They could hear the loud chatter coming from the hall.

Alex broke off from the fourth years and went to the Ravenclaw table. He saw Harry sitting at the end. Terry and Padma, his self-proclaimed friends, sat across from him, chatting happily. Alex sat down next to his twin.

Harry looked at him and smiled.

"Why hello brother," he said. "Care for some tea?"

"Give me food first," Alex replied, irritated already.

Harry chuckled as he handed a plate of vegetables to him. It was as if the younger twin knew Alex was coming to sit with him. Harry had always had the creepy and uncanny tendency of knowing things he shouldn't.

"I take it your day didn't go well," Harry stated, sipping some of his chamomile tea.

"You were right about that Granger girl," Alex muttered. "She's really annoying."

"Potions?" Harry asked.

Alex nodded.

"Let me guess; Snape asked very simple questions to Potter, but Potter didn't know them. Granger was waving her hand in the air the entire time, like a little puppy," Harry said.

"Exactly right," Alex said. "You need to stop doing that."

"Doing that?" Harry asked, smiling innocently.

"Don't play dumb with me," Alex said, glaring at the younger. "How is it you know everything even if you weren't there?"

"Simple matter of deduction," Harry said. "Nothing more than that."

"Granger wants to form a study group with you," Alex said, taking a bite of peas.

Harry made a face of disgust.

"No way," he said. "I'll die before that happens."

"I can make that happen," Alex muttered.

"I do not want to be around that know-it-all," Harry continued as if he hadn't heard Alex's morbid comment. "She'll just constantly interrupt me or recite passages from books she's memorized."

"You do that too, you know," Alex said.

"At least I state it in my own words; she probably knows everything word for word," Harry ranted. "I can't stand being around those types of people."

"You can't stand being around anyone," Alex said, snorting.

Harry stuck his tongue out at him.

"Quit being so childish," Alex said.

"Don't tell me what to do," Harry exclaimed.

Alex finished the last of his meal and pushed the plate away.

"You done with your tea?" he asked. "I need to go to the Owlery."

"One second," Harry said, quickly draining the last of his tea.

Harry grabbed his bookbag and stood up. The twins walked out of the Great Hall. They made their way to the Owlery.

"I hate those staircases, constantly moving," Harry grumbled.

"Shut up, you're annoying me," Alex said, eye twitching.

They entered the Owlery. Alex gave a whistle and a black owl flew down. The owl had been given to them, named Shadow. However, it was Alex's owl. Only he was allowed to come near Shadow since the poor bird was terrified of Harry, so Harry was forced to stay near the entrance of the Owlery. The other owls eyed Harry nervously. Harry grinned at their fear, his fangs showing themselves and his pupils slitting. Shadow saw this and squawked, flapping her wings. Alex calmed her down.

"Harry stop that or I will stab you," Alex ordered.

Harry chuckled as his features went back to normal. Shadow uneasily stayed still as Alex attached the letter to her leg.

"Take this to father, Shadow," Alex said.

Shadow flew away as quickly as she could.

"She's still so scared of me." Harry said, highly amused.

Alex dragged him out of there.

"Maybe if you didn't constantly experiment on yourself, animals would like you better," he said softly in case anyone was listening.

"Where's the fun in that?" Harry asked.

Harry frowned.

"Maybe I should get a pet of some sort," he said. "How about a cat?"

"No," Alex stated.

Harry pouted as he allowed Alex to drag him down the stairs.

"Awww...why not?" he whined.

"Because last time you had a pet of any sort, you killed it out of curiosity of dissecting it," Alex said. "And don't even think about taking an owl from the Owlery. The school will know about it and confront you. If you blow our cover, I will personally torture and kill you."

"How fun~" Harry purred.

Alex rolled his eyes.

"Psychopath," he muttered.

Harry snorted in laughter.

"I'm not a psychopath Alex." he said. "You know, you're being awfully...mellow right now."

Alex threw a hex at him and Harry hissed in pain.

"I have to be in order not to blow our cover, but that won't be necessary if you continue to act like this," Alex hissed.

Alex's grip on his arm tightened. Harry winced and tried to get away. Alex's grip only tightened more.

"Alex," Harry gritted his teeth. "Alex!"

Alex seemed to come back to himself. He released Harry's arm. Harry gripped his arm before rolling up the sleeve. There was a darkening handprint where Alex had grabbed him.

"Damn your strength," Harry muttered.

"Don't blow this for us Harry," Alex said in a deadly low tone. "I will kill you if I have to, without any hesitation. Remember what we're here for, all right? Now do your job."

Without another word, Alex stormed away.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

It was nighttime. Harry hummed as he skipped through the hall. His footsteps were silent, so only his humming could be heard. His Avada Kedavra green eyes glowed in the dark with slit pupils. It was pitch dark in the castle, being the middle of the night, but Harry could see perfectly fine.

"Oh where are you, little precious diadem~" Harry sang softly. "Come on out~"

Harry giggled softly. He skipped around the tower.

"Oh Helena~" he sang. "Come out~"

After half an hour of calling for the ghost, Harry began feeling annoyed. He knew Helena Ravenclaw was rarely seen by students and staff alike, but he was never very patient.

"Come out now, or I will come find you," Harry growled. "And trust me, little ghost, it won't be pretty."

It was silent for five minutes. Harry hummed thoughtfully.

"How troublesome," he said. "Now I have a ghost to hunt down."

"What do you want?" a soft voice asked.

Harry, unfazed, turned his head to see a young lady. She had no emotion on her face as she floated towards him.

"Helena Ravenclaw, finally," Harry said. "I was getting bored waiting for you to show yourself."

"What do you want?" Helena asked again.

"Where is the diadem?" Harry asked bluntly.

Helena blinked.

"Why do you want to know? Are you like the last person who asked me where my mother's diadem was?" she asked.

"If by last person, you mean my father, I'm here to get it for him," Harry said.

"I will not tell you anything. I made a mistake telling that man where the diadem was located," Helena said in disdain. "He tainted it with the darkest of all magic."

"Yes I know. The diadem is a Horcrux," Harry said cheerfully.

"How dare you sound so cheerful! A soul should never be split up like that man did! And he didn't do it once but seven times! He has a mutilated soul," Helena spat.

"I didn't ask for your opinion on Horcruxes. I want to know where it is," Harry said, his smile disappearing.

"I will never," Helena said, crossing her arms.

"Tell me where it is," Harry said.

Harry's pupils slit, glowing even more. Helena floated back, fear in her eyes.

"W-what are you?!" she exclaimed.

"Hush now," Harry said, pressing a pale slender finger to his lips.

He smirked cruelly.

"You wouldn't want to draw attention. I might do something I'll regret later," he said.

Harry giggled, a glint of insanity in his glowing sickly green eyes. Helena closed her eyes, clenching her fists in terror.

"Come now Helena, tell a fellow Ravenclaw where you hid the diadem. Do that much and you'll never have to see me again," Harry purred, his cruel smirk widening.

"F-fine," Helena stuttered.

Helena looked at him.

"He hid the diadem in the Room of Requirement on the seventh floor. You must walk past the tapestry of the man teaching ballet to trolls three times while thinking about what you need." Helena said.

"Good girl, that wasn't so hard, right?" Harry asked, smiling an innocent smile now.

"What are you? You are no child." Helena said.

Harry shushed her.

"Tell nobody of our talk," he said. "I will know if you blabbed Helena. I will come after you and despite being a ghost, know that I will find a way to torture and kill you."

"If it means I will never see you ever again, I would take the Unbreakable Vow if I could," Helena said coldly. "I will not tell anyone. I never want to see or hear of you again, devil child. Go away."

"So cold," Harry pouted. "And here I thought we were becoming friends."

"Never," Helena snapped.

"Fine, be that way then. Bye bye~" Harry sang as he walked away.

Harry chuckled darkly as he walked down the stairs.

"Ahh...it's been a good night," he muttered.

He looked outside to the night sky.

"Almost one in the morning now," he muttered. "Well that took longer than expected. But at least now, I'm making progress. Father and Alex would be so proud of me!"

Harry hummed happily as he skipped down the corridor. He suddenly heard footsteps ahead and silenced his humming. He backed into the shadows to wait for whoever was there to pass him. Snape came around the corner. Harry tilted his head. Snape looked around almost paranoidly. Snape rubbed his left wrist, muttering something inaudibly under his breath. He clutched a piece of parchment in his hand as he hurried past Harry.

Once the potions professor was out of sight, Harry smiled.

"How interesting~" he purred.

Harry stepped out of the shadows and turned his head to the direction Snape had gone.

"Just what are you hiding, dear Severus Snape?" he muttered as he walked forward.

He sniffed the air and easily found Snape's scent with his enhances senses. He walked silently in the shadows. He spotted Snape a couple minutes later. He seemed to be waiting for someone.

A few moments later, Dumbledore stepped out of the shadows.

"I take it you have news, Severus," Dumbledore whispered.

Snape nodded and handed the parchment to Dumbledore.

"You weren't followed?"

"No," Snape replied. "These are the plans for the next few weeks."

"Very good," Dumbledore said. "Don't do anything for a few months Severus. You mustn't be caught."

Snape nodded and quickly left. He passed Harry, not noticing sinister glowing green eyes that gazed after him. Dumbledore left in the other direction. Once they were both out of sight, a smile stretched across Harry's lips. A bubbly dark chuckle broke free from Harry's throat.

"How...fascinating," Harry said to himself.

He stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight. At that moment, he looked like a ghost. His skin was albino pale white, covered in black robes and a dark gray scarf. His hair was messy and long, hanging over his glowing green eyes that glinted cruelly. A sadistic smirk played across his lips.

"Snape...a spy? For the order?" Harry muttered. "What juicy details! I should tell Alex!"

Harry yawned.

"Hmm...maybe tomorrow I'll tell him."

* * *

The next day, the first years had their first flying lesson with Flying Instructor, James Potter. Harry and Alex stood next to each other in the two lines.

"Put your right above a broom and say 'up'," James said. "Make sure you say it with confidence."

"Up," Harry said.

The broom shot up into his hand. It shuddered slightly, as if sensing what Harry actually was.

"Up," Alex commanded.

The broom shot into his hand much faster than it did for Harry. Harry didn't blame the broom. Alex was terrifying when truly angry. The broom probably sensed that Alex wasn't someone to trifle with, despite his young age of eleven years.

"I hate this," Alex muttered.

"What's it like? I've never ridden a broom," Harry said, studying the broom in his hand.

"It was a waste of my time to learn," Alex said.

James came over and adjusted their grip.

"If any of you are having trouble, just look at Eric for an example. He's gripping the broom perfectly," James said, smiling proudly.

"Playing favorites, how surprising," Alex muttered sarcastically.

"Alex..." Harry began.

"What?" Alex asked, turning to his twin.

Harry motioned for him to come closer. Alex leaned in so Harry could whisper into his ear.

"Last night...I was out searching for the diadem," Harry said quietly.

Alex looked at him.

"And?"

"I know where it is," Harry said. "It took a while to get that ghost to come out, but I found it."

"Where is it?" Alex asked.

"In a place called the Room of Requirement," Harry muttered. "It'll be hard getting up there when nobody else is around though."

"Get it when you see the best chance," Alex said.

Harry nodded and then bit his lip. Alex narrowed his eyes. He knew his twin wasn't done speaking.

"What else?" Alex asked.

Harry stared into his brother's ice blue eyes. In a split second, he made his decision. He smiled and backed away.

"Nothing," he said.

"Harry," Alex growled. "If there's something you're hiding from me, you'll pay for it."

"I'm not going to keep it for you, but I cannot tell you right now," Harry said. "I will tell you soon."

Alex looked like he wanted to either demand to know or shake Harry violently until he told the truth. After a few seconds, Alex sighed.

"Fine, I'll drop it for now. But you will tell me, even if I have to tear it out of you," he said.

"Don't worry, I will," Harry said. "I just have to...investigate it further."

Harry smirked and hummed.

"And trust me brother, you'll find it worth the wait."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

It was finally winter break. The twins went home for the holiday, eager to get away from the other students.

They got inside the manor and Harry did a little dance.

"Finally! Peace and quiet!" he exclaimed.

Alex whacked him on the head.

"Let's go report to father," he muttered.

Alex grabbed Harry by the wrist and dragged him to the throne room. His grip was bruising, steel-like.

"Alex, I can get there myself," Harry whined.

"Shut up," Alex hissed.

They got to the throne room. Voldemort was waiting for them. The twins knelt before their father.

"Rise, and give me your report," Voldemort ordered.

The twins stood up. Alex released Harry's wrist. Harry rubbed the already bruised area.

"Father, I have learned that the Order of the Phoenix has begun to be more active," Alex said. "Most of the main members are professors at Hogwarts, such as the Potters and Sirius Black."

"Have you found out where their headquarters are Alexander?" Voldemort asked.

"Not yet," Alex said. "I will have to get closer to a member or a child of one of the members."

"Do so," Voldemort said. "Harrison?"

"Father, I have found the diadem," Harry said, grinning crazily.

"Why have you not retrieved it then?" Voldemort asked, his crimson eyes narrowing dangerously.

"First years don't normally go up to the floor it is being kept on. It'll be suspicious if I knew where the Room of Requirement was," Harry said. "I could not risk blowing my cover."

"Very well, I will accept your reasoning for now Harrison, but do not delay the retrieval for much longer," Voldemort said. "The longer it stays in that castle, the closer that old fool gets to finding it."

"Of course, father," Harry said. "I will retrieve it as soon as it will not suspicious for me to be on the seventh floor."

"Good," Voldemort said. "You two are dismissed."

The twins bowed again before leaving the throne room. Harry made a beeline to his lab. Alex followed him.

"Home sweet home!" Harry exclaimed in delight as he opened his lab.

Harry danced around the lab happily, giggling. Alex sighed in irritation.

"You're giving me a headache," he said. "Could you shut up and stay still for five seconds, moron?"

Harry pouted but did as told. He could tell his twin was on edge and anything would make him snap. Alex sank into a nearby chair, rubbing his forehead. His eyes were closed. Harry went over to his shelf of potions. He went through them, the vials making a gentle clinking sound. Harry found the one he was looking for and went over to Alex.

"Alex, open your mouth," Harry said seriously.

Alex looked at him before opening his mouth. Harry poured some of the potion into his brother's mouth. Alex swallowed the potion and sighed in relief as his headache disappeared.

"Better?" Harry asked.

"Much," Alex said. "Makes me glad I haven't killed you yet."

"Love you too Alex," Harry said, grinning. "It's Yule in three days."

"I don't care for that," Alex said.

"Well I do," Harry said. "Go relax in your room Alex. You look exhausted."

Alex stood up and went to the door.

"Alex," Harry called.

Alex paused but didn't turn around.

"On Yule, in the morning, come to my lab," Harry said.

Alex looked at him curiously.

"Why?"

Harry smiled secretively.

"It's a secret~" he sang. "Now go take a nap or something!"

Alex rolled his eyes.

"Follow your own advice. You look worse than me," he said.

"Aww, you do care for me," Harry exclaimed, giggling slightly.

He dodged a hex Alex sent his way as the elder twin left the lab. The door clicked shut and Harry's smile shrank.

"There's no use in hiding it, Alex," he said. "You just hate admitting you legitimately care about someone."

Harry giggled as he turned to his potions equipment.

"Now then, to experiment," he said.

* * *

It was morning on Yule Day. Harry was humming as he finished up the last of his gift wrapping. A second later, the door opened. Alex walked in and sagged into a chair.

"Have you been up all three days or something?" Alex asked.

"What can I say? I was on a roll with this one," Harry crowed in glee.

"You're manic," Alex deadpanned.

"No name calling~" Harry said as he turned around.

"When's the last time you slept?" Alex asked. "And why are you so hyper?"

"Fine, I was up for the last three days," Harry said. "I think I drank about five pots of coffee to keep myself awake and all chipper! I feel great!"

"You don't look great," Alex muttered. "You have problems. You could develop Insomnia if you're not careful."

"Nah," Harry denied.

"You're already borderline anorexic. Don't go adding more problems to your list," Alex said. "You'll kill yourself before I get the chance."

"Good! Death sounds great!" Harry exclaimed.

Harry squinted at the corner.

"Is that a snowman waving at me in the corner?" he asked.

"Oookay," Alex said, standing up. "You've reached the point of no return Harry. Time for you to go to bed. You should not be hallucinating."

"I'm not hallucinating. The snowman's waving at me!" Harry said cheerfully, waving at the empty corner. "Oh wait...I think he's trying to say something. Maybe I should offer him tea?"

Alex grabbed Harry by the shoulders.

"Harry, go to sleep," Alex ordered.

"But I haven't given you your present yet," Harry said.

"Shut up and go to sleep!" Alex shouted.

He grabbed Harry by the hair and slammed his twin's head into the table, knocking the younger twin out cold. Alex caught Harry in his arms, sighing in annoyance.

"What a drag..." he muttered. "You're more trouble than it's worth."

Alex dragged his twin to his room, which was connected to the lab. He dumped Harry onto the bed and left, not even bothering to arrange the blankets over the younger twin. He walked back into the lab. He saw the gift still sitting on the counter. He tilted his head and huffed in laughter.

"I'll wait until you wake up Harry," he said. "You can give it properly to me then."

He left the room.

* * *

Alex entered the lab that night only to find it empty.

"Still sleeping eh?" he muttered.

He walked into the bedroom. Harry was tangled in the covers, sleeping soundly. Alex raised an eyebrow before going over. He shook his brother. Harry stirred away and his green eyes blinked open.

"Alex?" he asked.

Harry sat up and yawned, stretching.

"Why the bloody hell does my face hurt?" he grumbled.

"Because I knocked you unconscious," Alex said. "I'm leaving soon, so if you want to give your gift to me, it better be now."

"Leaving? For what?" Harry asked, suddenly more awake.

"Father has issued a raid," Alex said. "He assigned me to be part of it. By the time it finishes, it'll already be morning."

Harry sighed and got up. The twin went into the lab.

"You didn't peek, did you?" Harry asked, picking up the neatly wrapped small gift.

"No," Alex said.

"Well...here you go," Harry said, holding out the small gift.

Alex took it and unwrapped it carefully. He opened the small box and saw a single vial of potion within. He took it out and studied the contents. It was a red potion, somehow more vibrant than any other red potion he had ever seen.

"What is this?" Alex asked.

"It is a healing potion, extremely potent," Harry said. "It'll last you a very long time. You only need to consume one drop for it to work. I found a way to incorporate phoenix tears in with other healing ingredients to form this potion. This is the first working batch. Just don't consume too much at one time...it has side effects."

Alex raised an eyebrow at him.

"Side effects?" he asked. "Elaborate."

Harry coughed awkwardly.

"I experimented with the potion on myself and it made me a little...hyper to the point of hallucinations," he said.

"So it wasn't the copious amounts of coffee you drank," Alex stated.

"The coffee probably helped," Harry said. "The point is, don't drink too much. A drop is enough to heal all injuries, no matter what extent. It is in a special container enchanted not to break, so you don't have to worry about that."

"...Thanks," Alex said softly.

Harry blinked in surprise before smiling. Alex never said any words of gratitude. He saw them as a weakness, so whenever he did say those words, Harry cherished them.

"Be careful that you don't let anyone know about this potion Harry," Alex said. "If what you say is true about this potion, Dumbledore will want it."

"I know," Harry said. "But no one would enter my lab willingly except for you Alex. For anyone else to do so, only a painful death awaits them."

"Don't jinx it," Alex said. "Be careful with this stuff."

Harry nodded.

"And before I regret this," Alex said.

Alex flicked his wand and a small package appeared on the counter.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"Just open it," Alex hissed.

Harry opened it carefully and his eyes widened. A soft dark blue scarf laid in his hands. It looked handmade, but better done than the gray scarf he wore around his neck.

"Alex you...?" Harry asked.

"Shut up," Alex mumbled, blushing slightly. "I was just getting tired of seeing that old thing around your neck all the time."

Harry looked between his brother and the new scarf in shock. He grinned and lunged at Alex. He tackled Alex to the ground in a tight hug.

"GAH! Get off me!" Alex shouted.

Harry squeezed him.

"Thank you Alex!" he exclaimed.

Alex kicked him and flipped their positions, his hands wrapping around Harry's throat. Harry smiled regardless.

"Don't do that again," Alex hissed.

"I forgot how much you hate affection," Harry said, giggling happily.

Alex stood up and Harry got up. He attempted to tame his messy hair to no avail. Harry gave up quickly before turning his attention to the dark blue scarf. He unwrapped the old dark gray scarf from around his neck. Alex's icy blue eyes zeroed in onto the pale jagged white line across Harry's throat. His eyes narrowed slightly but he said nothing. Harry didn't notice his twin staring as he wrapped the new scarf around his neck, effectively hiding the pale line. It was warm and soft. Harry buried his nose into it and sighed happily. He looked at Alex, giving a genuine smile, something very rare for both of them these days.

"Seriously Alex...thank you."

Alex sighed and turned to leave the lab.

"Don't mention it," he muttered almost inaudibly.

Harry heard him anyways.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Alex went back to the throne room. He tucked in the vibrant red potion into a pocket, making sure it wouldn't jostle around or fall out. He pulled out his silver colored mask and put it on. He joined the other Death Eaters.

"Welcome all," Voldemort said, standing up from his throne. "I have gathered you all here tonight for a raid."

Everyone murmured in excitement. A raised hand from Voldemort silenced them all.

"Bellatrix will be leading the attack. Get ready to Apparate," Voldemort said.

He quickly gave them the address and at the signal, they all Apparated to the location.

It was silent, but that was to be expected for night. Alex looked around. The peaceful silence wouldn't last long.

As if on cue, some of the Death Eaters began breaking into houses and dragging the occupants out. The people screamed in terror as they struggled to get away.

"Don't let anyone get away!" Bellatrix shouted, her eyes wide with psychotic glee.

She cackled wildly as she pointed her wand at the night sky.

"Morsmordre!" she shouted.

A green image of the Dark Mark appeared in the sky. Alex sighed as he flicked a killing curse at a random muggle nearby in an almost bored way. He hated the screaming; he much preferred the silence. Might as well get it over with.

Twenty minutes later, there were cracks and flashes of red.

"The Order is here!" a Death Eater shouted. "As well as the Aurors!"

"Finally, some action," Alex muttered, jogging over.

He pulled out his throwing knives and quickly took down three Aurors. He dodged a stunning spell, careful not to let the spell knock his mask off his face. He straightened to see Sirius Black.

"You seem awfully small for a Death Eater," Sirius said, pointing his wand at him. "Is the Dark Lord recruiting children into his ranks now?"

Alex sighed.

"How annoying," he muttered.

He took out his wand and casted a spell too fast for Sirius to deflect. James suddenly appeared out of nowhere, throwing a stunning spell at Sirius to knock him out of the way. James pointed his wand at Alex.

"You're pretty good for a kid," James said.

"Who said I was a kid Potter?" Alex asked.

His voice was muffled by the mask thankfully or James would've recognized it.

"You're too small for an adult," James said. "Your stature is not that of an adult's, even a short one. How old are you kid? Just run back to your parents. This isn't your fight."

"It is my fight," Alex said. "My father...is a Death Eater and forced me to become one as well. My mother is dead."

"Just leave and don't look back!" James exclaimed. "A kid like you shouldn't have to be forced to do anything. You have so many things you can do with your life! You don't have to do this!"

"Stop trying to convince me to leave." Alex said emotionlessly. "I chose this path for myself and I will continue to walk this path until the day I die."

Alex and James engaged in an intense duel. James seemed reluctant to fight him, but Alex had to admit, the Potter was an excellent dueler.

James finally managed to get in a lucky shot, hitting Alex in the side with the stunning spell. Alex was blasted into a nearby house. Unfortunately, the house had been destroyed by Death Eaters before the battle begun. Pieces of wood were lying all over the place and one particular sharp piece happened to be in Alex's path. Alex stifled a shout of pain as the piece of sharp wood impaled his abdomen.

Alex panted as he used his wand to cut the wood into a smaller piece. No one came looking for him, so Alex could only assume James had left to get Sirius to safety. That only gave him a couple minutes.

Alex gripped the bloodied wood impaling him. A slash of pain washed through his body, making Alex grit his teeth. He leaned against a somewhat decent wall and took several deep breathes to relax his body. He tightened his grip on the wood and in one fast fluid movement, he ripped the wood out of his body. Alex couldn't help the cry of pain that escaped his lips. Blood poured from the wound and began pooling around him.

"Damn it," Alex gritted.

Alex covered his wound with one hand. He dropped his wand in favor of searching for something in his robes. He found what he was looking for and pulled out the small vial containing the vibrant red healing potion Harry had given him. With the same hand, Alex tore off the mask. The cool touched his skin for the first time in a long time that night. Alex opened the vial with one hand and let one drop of the potion touch his tongue. He swallowed it as he stoppered the vial. His body suddenly heated up rapidly and Alex winced in discomfort. His wound felt like it was on fire.

Then, as fast as it had come, it was gone just as quickly. The pain disappeared. Alex looked at his abdomen and saw that the wound was completely healed. There was no scar. It was as if he had never been impaled on the piece of wood. He looked at the vial and huffed in amusement.

"Looks like your potion worked little brother," he muttered.

He tucked the vial back into his cloak. He grabbed his mask and wand and stood up. Blood rushed to his head and Alex swayed slightly before regaining his balance quickly. He walked out of the ruins of the house, not noticing a pair of glittering onyx eyes watching him.

* * *

After being dismissed, Snape quickly escaped the manor. He arrived at Hogwarts, where the majority of the Order was at the moment, recovering from the battle.

"Severus," Dumbledore greeted. "Did something happen?"

"I saw something strange today." Snape said. "The Death Eater Potter blasted into the house, he had a strange potion with him."

"Potion? What kind of potion?" Dumbledore asked, frowning in concern.

"It wasn't any potion I had ever seen before. Being a potions master, I know every potion in existence. It is safe to say this particular potion is a new creation." Snape said.

"What does it do?" Lily asked.

"From what I observed, it only needs one drop to work. That Death Eater was impaled on a piece of wood and after just one drop of that potion, his wound was completely healed, no scar in sight. He stood back up and walked away perfectly fine." Snape said.

"Did you see this Death Eater's face?" Dumbledore asked.

Snape hesitated.

"Severus, is it someone you know well?" Lily asked.

"It is complicated," Snape said. "The person I saw...if he finds out about me, he will kill me personally. He will know if I tell you his identity. He has his ways of finding out anything. He is not anyone you want to take very lightly just because of how young he is. All I can tell you for now is that he is very skilled in magic, particularly the Dark Arts."

"A child so young that is skilled in the Dark Arts," Dumbledore said. "It is truly sad."

"Albus, you aren't thinking about confronting the kid and trying to convince him to stop what he's doing, are you?" James asked.

"I believe it is worth a try. If Voldemort is recruiting young children into his ranks, we must put a stop to it." Dumbledore said.

James sighed.

"I'll support you Albus. I just hope you know what you're doing," he said.

Dumbledore nodded in thanks before turning back to Snape.

"Severus, do you have any idea who could've made this potion?" he asked.

"The Dark Lord does have another potions master under his rule. He is much younger than me," Snape said. "But that is all I can tell you about him for now."

"We'll have to tread carefully from now on. If this potions master created this potion, Voldemort may find no more need for you," Dumbledore said.

The headmaster looked grim.

"Severus...I have a new mission for you," he finally said.

"What is it?" Snape asked.

Dumbledore looked at him, ancient and wise blue eyes meeting hardened onyx black eyes.

"Steal one of those potions. We need to figure out what it truly is. It may prove useful to us if we can figure out that much."

Snape nodded in acceptance.

"I will steal a vial...that is if I don't get myself killed first."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Harry finished making his new experimental potion. It was going very well. The brewing was extremely complicated, more complicated than the most difficult potions in the magical world. He rarely took notes on what ingredients to use or how to brew it. Most of it was memorized, which was a huge advantage to him and very unfortunate for those thinking to steal his inventions.

Harry hummed as he bottled the vibrant red potion into enchanted vials and stored them on a special shelf. It was warded extremely well and in layers, and would take a skilled witch or wizard to break through all the wards.

As he cleaned up his equipment, the door to his lab opened. Alex poked his head in.

"Father wants to see you," he said.

"About what?" Harry asked, not even looking up.

"He heard about your potion. He wants to know more about it," Alex said.

Harry sighed and nodded. He flicked his wand and his equipment went back to their normal places. He followed his twin out of the room, being sure to lock the lab. They walked to the throne room.

* * *

Snape peered around the corner. The twins left the lab. It was the perfect opportunity. He looked around cautiously before moving forward. It had taken him a very long time to even find the lab; getting inside would be very difficult as well, seeing how the younger twin was a genius in all subjects of magic.

As he worked on breaking the wards, Snape looked around, paranoid. The twins could come back at any second and if they caught him, he would be dead within seconds...or worse.

Finally, the wards broke and the door unlocked. Snape slipped in quickly and shut the door. He looked around the lab. It was dark and eerily silent. There was another door at the far end, no doubt going to Harry's bedroom. Snape looked at the shelves. There were potions everywhere, all enchanted in a preserved state. He walked around, looking for the one potion he had been sent to steal.

He spotted the vibrant red potion locked behind layers and layers of wards. He began making a tiny hole that a single vial could hit through, small enough that it wouldn't be noticed unless it was looked for. He got the vial after several long minutes and constant paranoia. He couldn't afford to be caught, not when he was so close to completing this mission!

Snape caught the vial and sighed in relief. He repaired the wards as he slipped the small enchanted vial into his cloak. He opened the door to a crack, peering outside for anyone. There was nobody at the moment. He snuck out quickly and replaced the wards until they felt identical to the ones before he had broken them.

Snape looked around one last time as he disappeared down the hall. That evening, he was to take a portkey back to Hogwarts to give the potion to Dumbledore. He could only hope Harry wouldn't realize one of his creations were missing until later.

* * *

Harry sighed in irritation as he left the throne room.

"What does he think he's doing? Asking me to make potions for all the Death Eaters," he grumbled. "They would only misuse it."

"An order is an order, Harry," Alex said. "Deal with it. You don't even have to give them that much. After all, it only takes a drop."

"The Death Eaters can all die for all I care. I will not waste my precious creation on the likes of them," Harry hissed.

Alex slapped his hand over his mouth.

"Be silent, idiot," he snapped. "Do you want someone hearing your words and reporting them to father?"

Harry pushed his hand away.

"I'm just not very happy right now," he said.

"Go brew a potion or something. That always makes you happier," Alex said.

Harry blew a strand of hair out of his face. His eye twitched in annoyance as he pulled a couple of clips from his pocket. He clipped his bangs back.

"Much better," he muttered.

Harry took down the wards on his lab and walked in.

"Mind if I crash here for a bit? I don't want to see those morons for another second," Alex said.

"Go ahead; you'd only curse me if I refused," Harry said.

Harry adjusted his dark blue scarf. He took note of the potions he was low on. He decided on a potion to brew first, going over the instructions in his head. He walked towards his ingredients storage closet, but just as he was about to step past the shelves, he froze. He took a step back and turned his head. He turned his body slowly, his Avada Kedavra green eyes glowing and his pupils slit. He reached a hand forward and touched the wards. The wards flickered into sight and Harry's eyes zeroed into the extremely tiny hole in the corner.

"Harry?" Alex asked. "What's wrong?"

Harry tore the wards away with the use of wandless magic. Mentally, he counted the vials.

"Nine vials," Harry muttered.

Alex walked over.

"Harry, what happened?" he asked.

"There were ten," Harry gritted his teeth. "Someone stole a vial."

Harry clenched his hands into fists, shaking slightly from rage.

"I'll kill them...I'll kill them!" Harry snarled.

Harry made to lunge at the door, but Alex caught him.

"Get off me! I'm going to find the traitor and kill them!" Harry shouted, eyes blazing in fury.

Alex slammed him against the wall. Harry grunted as Alex wrestled his right arm behind his back, squeezing tightly.

"You better calm down now, or I will break your arm," Alex warned.

Harry took several deep breathes and forced himself to think rationally.

"Now tell me what's going on," Alex ordered.

"Someone broke into my lab and stole one of the healing potions," Harry said, barely keeping himself calm enough to speak coherently.

The twins both knew that if Harry got mad enough, he went psychotic. No one wanted to deal with Harry when he was in a psychotic rage. The only way to stop him was to calm him down before he got too far, usually handled by Alex.

"Can you tell who it was?" Alex asked.

Harry pushed him off and stretched his arm out. He went over and sniffed the shelf. He could smell the scent of potions, only slightly different from the potions scent in his lab. A smirk curled upwards on his lips.

"This is too good," he said.

"Who is it?" Alex asked.

"Before I tell you that, remember how I promised you I was going to tell you something very important after I investigated it?" Harry asked, turning to his brother. "My suspicion just got confirmed."

Alex waited for him to continue, not saying a word.

"On the night I found out where the diadem was, I witness Severus Snape giving a piece of parchment to Dumbledore," Harry said. "Their behavior was very strange. Snape was being paranoid, constantly looking around, clutching that parchment too tightly. Dumbledore even asked if anyone saw him or was following him."

"Are you saying Snape is a spy?" Alex asked, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

Harry looked at his twin straight in the eyes, sickly green meeting icy blue.

"That is exactly what I am saying."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Alex was silent for a moment. Suddenly, he turned on his heel and stormed towards the exit.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked.

"What does it look like? I'm going to tell father about Snape's betrayal," Alex snapped.

"Hang on," Harry exclaimed. "I don't want you to tell father about this yet."

Alex whirled on him, grabbing the younger by the collar.

"And why not? Are you a traitor too?" he hissed.

"Of course not," Harry said, prying his clothes from his brother's tight grip. "I am merely suggesting we use this to our advantage."

"Explain and do so quickly; I do not have enough patience," Alex said coldly.

"Think about it brother," Harry said, adjusting his scarf. "Snape is a spy for Dumbledore, the leader and founder of the Order of the Phoenix. He obviously knows where the headquarters are. If we are smart about this, he can help us infiltrate the Order."

"Have you lost your mind? He will never do that, especially since he's a spy." Alex exclaimed.

"Alex, to our knowledge, the Order doesn't know about us being the Dark Lord's children. For some reason, Snape has not revealed us yet. He knows we are spies for father at Hogwarts, but he didn't rat us out to Dumbledore."

"We don't know that for sure." Alex said, calmer now.

"Then we confront him, but not here," Harry said. "We cannot let anyone know about this just yet. If my deductions are correct, Snape hasn't told anyone about us yet. They just know the Dark Lord has another potions master under his rule, one that is on par with Snape. Sooner or later, they'll pull him out for good before father decides he has no more need for him. When we go back to Hogwarts, we'll get him alone and ask him a few question...at risk of his life of course. If my deductions are wrong, you can tell father about his betrayal and I'll come up with another plan. That simple."

Alex took a deep breath before nodding once.

"Fine," he said. "But you only get this one chance. If Snape knows about us, I'll tell father about him. And then I'll curse you for keeping this from me."

Harry only smiled innocently.

"Deal."

* * *

Snape arrived at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. He entered the ancestral home of the Black family. The lights in the kitchen were on. Snape went into the room to see Dumbledore, Shacklebolt, Moody, Tonks, Sirius, the Weasleys, the Potters, and Hermione waiting for him.

"Did you get it?" Moody asked.

"Yes," Snape said.

"I hope this other potions master doesn't find out about this until later," Tonks said. "You'd be in a lot of trouble if that happened, Snape."

Snape didn't say anything. He knew all too well the other potions master, Harry, would notice almost immediately. He didn't say any of that to the others though.

"Severus, nobody noticed you right?" Dumbledore asked.

"Nobody saw me, but as for when they'll notice, it'll be sooner than later," Snape said.

"What do you mean by that?" James asked. "Is there something you're not telling us about this other potions master Snape?"

"I have only encountered the other potions master a couple times," Snape said after a few seconds of silence. "He's...complicated."

"Complicated how?" Dumbledore asked.

Snape sighed.

"It isn't easy to speak about this. That Death Eater I saw with the potion on the night of raid, the potions master is his younger brother." he finally said.

"A child that is already so skilled in potions that he has invented one this powerful?" Lily asked. "Just what kind of cruel man is You-Know-Who to recruit children like those two?!"

"That's not it," Snape said. "As far as I can tell, they willingly joined the Dark Lord."

"How awful!" Molly exclaimed.

"Severus, where is the potion now?" Dumbledore asked.

Snape took out the small vial and gave it to Dumbledore.

"I will analyze it and tell all of you the details of the potion later," Dumbledore said, tucking the vial into his robes.

"Severus, calm down," Molly said, frowning in concern. "The mission is over. Winter break will end soon and you'll be safe in Hogwarts."

"Those two will find me," Snape muttered, a glint of fear in his eyes.

"Severus, just who are these two children?" Dumbledore asked, surprised by Snape's fear.

"They are not children headmaster. They don't even seem human." Snape said, clenching his fists. "The elder one is a sociopath and has no qualms of killing or torturing anyone. He even hurts his younger brother. The younger brother is a psychopath, completely obsessed with experimentation, especially with Transfiguration. I only know that because he's displayed animal characteristics on himself whenever he's seen in the throne room."

Everyone was silent, absorbing the information about the mysterious brothers.

"Those two are really messed up," Eric said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Eric," Lily scolded. "This isn't a joke. These are children possibly your age, working for You-Know-Who!"

"They don't know any better. We need to get them to see that what they're doing is wrong," Molly said determinedly.

"That won't work," Snape said. "They're already too far gone. Nothing you say will sway their minds."

Molly glared at him.

"We can still try! I cannot rest easily knowing You-Know-Who has mere children working for him, in his army of Death Eaters! It is inhumane and I will not stand for it!" Molly exclaimed.

Snape sighed.

"Try all you want, but you'll only get yourself killed." he said.

"You can't be sure about that. You yourself said you've only seen these children a couple of times," Lily said.

"Like I said before, those two are not children. They are demons," Snape gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

He looked at every single of them with hard onyx black eyes.

"And if they find out I'm a spy, I will be killed...or worse," he said. "To be honest, I would rather die than face those two. The Dark Lord is bad, yes, but those two are in a league of their own. In a twisted way, they are far worse than the Dark Lord."

"Worse than the Dark Lord? That's not possible," Molly scoffed. "They don't know any better than to do what You-Know-Who tells them to do lest they be tortured. They are probably doing what it takes to survive. We need to help them get out of there as quickly as possible!"

"You're not listening to my words," Snape growled. "Those two joined the Dark Lord on their own free will! There is no negotiating with them, no reasoning with them! They are both geniuses in their own right. One is a genius in the Dark Arts while the other is a genius in potions. They know what they're doing and why they're doing it."

Molly looked like she wanted to say something else, but she refrained from doing so. Snape took a shaky deep breath. Dumbledore laid a hand on his shoulder gently.

"Severus, are you...frightened of these two brothers?" the headmaster asked quietly.

Snape turned to him.

"I'm not frightened of them," he said.

Dumbledore relaxed slightly, but Snape's next words chilled them to the bone.

"I'm terrified of them."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Alex rested a hand on Harry's shoulder, squeezing tightly. He tugged his twin back and dragged him to the side. The other students walked past them, intent on getting to their dorms before curfew. It was nighttime now, an hour away from curfew. Everyone had just returned from winter break.

"Anyone could smell the bloodlust coming off of you," Alex hissed into Harry's ear. "I know you're pissed at Snape, but you have to calm down."

"Get off me," Harry muttered.

Harry shoved his hand away.

"We need a way to get him to confess first," Alex said.

"Leave that to me," Harry said. "I already have a way."

"Does your way consist of poisoning him?" Alex asked dully.

Harry stuck his tongue out at him.

"Have a little faith in me," he said. "While I would normally resort to poison, I have another way that's more efficient."

Harry reached a hand into his cloak.

"I've been saving this for a special occasion," he said, smirking.

He pulled out a vial of a clear liquid. Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Is that Veritaserum?" he asked.

"Yep, from my own personal supply," Harry said.

"You told everyone you couldn't brew Veritaserum," Alex hissed. "Why did you lie?"

"I have my own reasons. This is a difficult potion to brew, I will admit that...but not as difficult as my newly invented potion. However, the time it takes to brew Veritaserum is very time consuming, taking 28 days to complete." Harry said.

Harry put the potion back into his cloak.

"Not only that, but we have to be careful when administering it to Snape," he said. "I know for a fact that Snape has been brewing Veritaserum. He knows the effects of the potion and will find a way to resist it before we can get him to spill his secrets."

"What do you suggest we do?" Alex asked.

"To resist a truth potion as powerful as Veritaserum, you need a strong mind...or strong Occlumency skills if you want to be specific," Harry said. "You're better at Legilimency than me, Alex. I want you to slowly break down his mind shields before we give him the potion. It'll have to be a gradual process."

"We are both equally good at Legilimency," Alex said.

"Yes, but my way is more destructive. If I did it, I'd leave him brain dead," Harry said. "Your skills have a certain delicacy to it. Therefore, you're better for this job."

"He will notice me breaking down his shields," Alex said.

"That's why we do it gradually," Harry said.

He tapped Alex's head a few times.

"Aren't you thinking up there?" he teased.

Alex's eye twitched in annoyance. Harry lowered his hand and continued on quickly.

"Right now, Snape doesn't know if we know he took the potion from my lab. His mental shields will be at their strongest and he'll be highly paranoid. We won't do anything for a few months. As soon as he begins to calm down on the belief we're clueless about his betrayal, begin breaking down his shields. And soon after that, we'll corner him and administer the potion to him." he said.

Alex sighed and nodded.

"Fine," he said. "This is going to take the rest of the year, isn't it?"

"I did say gradual process," Harry said, smiling innocently. "Don't worry Alex, it'll all be worth it in the end."

"For all we know, everyone already knows our true identities," Alex hissed.

Harry chuckled darkly. His green eyes glowed sinisterly as his bloodlust rose around him subtly.

"Something tells me he hasn't told anyone about us~"

* * *

They gathered in Dumbledore's office.

"I have analyzed the potion Severus stole," Dumbledore said. "It is far more complicated than I originally thought."

"How so?" Lily asked.

"The way the potion is brewed, as far as I can tell, it should be impossible," Dumbledore said. "I myself have tried to brew this potion, but it is next to impossible. The components that make up this potion are just too complex to fit together and each experiment has resulted in failure. I don't know this potions master did it. He must truly be a genius in the art."

"If You-Know-Who has this kind of power on his side, who knows what else he has up his sleeve," Sirius said gravely.

"Indeed," Dumbledore said.

The old headmaster turned to Snape.

"Severus, keep an eye on this potions master. Report his movements," he said. "I want to know everything about this mysterious boy."

Snape nodded. As everyone left, Snape sighed shakily.

"Easier said than done," he muttered.

* * *

Harry slapped Terry's hand away from the potion.

"You're going to ruin it, idiot," he scolded.

"Sorry," Terry grumbled. "Potions isn't my best subject."

He watched Harry put in the correct ingredients and stir it clockwise three times.

"How come you're so good at potions?" Terry asked. "Actually, how come you're so good in all subjects? It's uncanny."

Harry smiled secretively. His hair was clipped back to prevent it getting in the way.

"That's for me to know," he said.

"Oh come on!" Terry pouted. "We're friends right Harry?"

"I merely began learning at a young age," Harry said. "I tend to pick up things quickly."

"That's it?" Terry asked incredulously.

"Yep," Harry said cheerfully as he added the next ingredient.

Snape came over, inspecting everyone's potion. He stopped by Harry and Terry's potion.

"Well done," Snape said. "However, you should let Mr. Boot a chance to brew the potion, Mr. Evans."

"I'm learning along the way professor," Terry said. "Harry's really good at potions. He's like a genius!"

Snape hid a flinch at that, but Harry saw it. He smiled innocently.

"Is something wrong professor? You look...uncomfortable," he said in fake concern.

"No, everything is fine," Snape said a little too quickly.

Harry leaned forward. His pupils slit briefly, his Avada Kedavra green eyes glowing slightly.

"Are you sure? You don't look so well," Harry said, frowning.

Snape swallowed nervously as Harry's eyes drilled into him intensely.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking Mr. Evans," Snape said stiffly. "Continue with your potion."

Snape walked off, surprisingly calm and composed. Harry sat back as he absentmindedly finished the potion. It was one he had brewed hundreds of times; he could do it in his sleep.

"What's up with him? He's been off ever since winter break ended," Terry said.

Harry tilted his head.

"Indeed," he said, a smirk curling upward on his lips.

Harry bottled up the potion. Terry wrote their names on each vial and then took the vials up to Snape's desk to be graded. Harry quickly cleaned up before going back to observing Snape. The professor was looking at the other students' potions, criticizing or praising them.

"Don't think you're safe Snape," Harry muttered. "You will regret taking my precious creation."

Harry hummed softly as he unclipped his bangs. The black strands fell down to cover his sickly green eyes as they glowed. His pupils slit and Harry's smirk widened slightly.

"When I'm done with you, you'll be begging for death."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

When Snape finally began to relax, Alex started slowly breaking down the mental shields. He only did a tiny section at a time, too small for Snape to notice as long as it wasn't consistent.

When the end of the year came, Alex and Harry made their move. It was at the end of the year feast. Snape had decided to avoid the feast in favor of staying in the peacefulness of the dungeon. Of course, that decision was planted by Alex so the twins could confront him without any distractions. Everyone else would be at the feast.

Snape was bottling up a barely finished potion when the door opened. He looked up and blinked when he saw the twins.

"Shouldn't you two be at the feast?" he asked.

Harry hummed, smiling sweetly. It immediately sent alarm rushing through Snape and he tensed. Alex remained emotionless.

"The feast is a waste of time," Alex said dully.

Snape put down the ladle in his hand and stepped away from his potion.

"What can I do for you two then?" he asked cautiously.

"A lot actually," Harry said. "Alex?"

In a flash, Alex threw a binding spell at him, too fast for the professor to react. Snape grunted as he stumbled back, off balance.

"Don't bother calling for help. We already put up a silencing barrier," Alex said.

Harry skipped forward and pushed Snape back until the back of his legs hit a chair. Snape crumbled into the chair.

"What are you doing?" Snape hissed.

"We just want to ask you a few questions," Harry purred. "If you cooperate, we won't hurt you...much."

"Questions? About what?" Snape asked, trying to sound surprised.

"Don't try to get out of this," Harry said, his smile disappearing. "We know what you did Snape. You stole one of my potions."

Snape's eyes widened slightly, almost unnoticeably. For anyone else, Snape would've appeared calm and collected. But to the twins, they were both highly observant and noticed the slight change in Snape.

"What are you talking about? I don't even know where your lab is at the manor," Snape said.

"Don't play games with me," Harry growled menacingly.

"Harry, get on with it," Alex said. "We only have so much time. Do not waste it."

Harry pulled out a small vial filled with clear liquid. Snape looked at it and immediately knew what it was.

"I'll give you two options Severus," Harry said, smiling his innocent smile. "You can willingly answer our questions and in return, we won't turn you in to our father."

"Harry," Alex growled.

"Relax brother," Harry said, waving his hand dismissively at his twin. "I know what I'm doing."

"And the other option?" Snape asked.

"I force this Veritaserum down your throat and after I've gotten all I needed from you, I let Alex had his fun torturing you into insanity. He's been a little on edge lately and needs to vent out somehow," Harry said, his smile growing sadistic.

Harry leaned in, his sickly green eyes glowing and his pupils slitting. Alex suddenly looked a lot more interested.

"And we all know how violent and uncontrollable Alex can get when he's allowed to torture someone," he said, giggling slightly. "I suggest you choose wisely~"

"That's not even a fair choice. You're not giving me any choices," Snape said, gritting his teeth.

"Tick tock~" Harry sang. "You have five seconds to answer before I just let Alex rip your mind apart to search for the answers. Five...four...three...two...on-

"All right! I choose the first option," Snape exclaimed reluctantly.

"Good answer," Harry hummed. "Alex, tilt his head back and open his mouth."

Alex walked forward.

"Hang on! I said I would willingly answer your questions!" Snape protested.

"I changed my mind. We have to make sure you're telling the truth anyways. And besides, you're taking the Veritaserum willingly now," Harry said, his smile turning innocent once more.

Alex grabbed Snape's hair and yanked his head back. He forced Snape's mouth open and Harry poured three drops of the clear potion into the professor's mouth. Alex forced him to swallow before releasing him.

"All right then! Test question: what is your name?" Harry asked.

"Severus Snape," Snape said in a dazed voice.

"Who was your first crush?" Harry asked.

"Lily Evans," the answer was immediate.

Even in his daze, Snape looked confused.

"Confused to why you can't resist the truth potion?" Harry asked in amusement. "You didn't notice it, but Alex has been gradually breaking down your mind shields since winter break ended. Your mental barriers are completely useless now."

Harry giggled excitedly.

"This will be fun!" he exclaimed.

Alex hit him on the head.

"Quit messing around, moron," he said.

Harry rubbed his head, pouting slightly. He quickly recovered.

"Now then Severus, I've recently come up with a theory. You see, one night, I was wandering the halls, admittedly past curfew, and I noticed you behaving strangely. You gave something to Dumbledore, no doubt plans of some sort. So tell me, are you a spy for the Order?"

Snape's eyes widened in surprise, his eyes still holding a clouded dazed look in them.

"Yes," he said in a flat tone, the answer forced out by the Veritaserum.

"Where are the Order headquarters?" Alex asked.

"Number 12 Grimmauld Place," Snape answered.

"That's the Black ancestral home," Alex said. "Only those of the Black bloodline can even get in there or allow anyone to enter."

"How interesting. Have you told any of the Order about us?" Harry asked.

"No," Snape said.

"Why not?" Alex asked this time. "You had many opportunities."

"I was scared," Snape said.

"Scared? Of what exactly?" Harry asked, tilting his head.

"Of you two," Snape said, slightly hesitant now. "I knew you would find out about me eventually. What you would do to me is far more terrifying than anything the Dark Lord could do to me."

"How interesting. You're scared of two eleven year olds more than you are of the Dark Lord," Harry said. "What do you think Alex?"

He nudged Alex in the ribs.

"I find it...amusing," Alex said emotionlessly.

"Sure doesn't look like it," Harry muttered, snorting slightly.

Harry turned his attention back to Snape.

"Well, my thoughts were correct. Nobody knows about us being the Dark Lord's sons," he said. "We can proceed with our plan."

Harry administered the antidote and Snape gasped back to life.

"Thank you for your cooperation," Harry said. "In exchange, you will get to keep your life and we won't tell father just yet of your betrayal. You are still of use to us."

"When did you find out it was me who took the potion?" Snape asked.

"Almost immediately," Harry said. "You think I wouldn't notice a vial of my most valuable potion missing?"

"Anyone else wouldn't notice," Alex said. "But because you're so possessive of your potions, you notice immediately if something is missing."

"So what did you do to my potion?" Harry asked. "Where is it?"

"I...gave it to Dumbledore," Snape hesitantly said.

"You WHAT?!" Harry shrieked.

He lunged forward.

"You gave it to that old coot?! He'll ruin my precious creation!" Harry shouted in a rage.

Alex grabbed Harry by the arm and yanked him back harshly, almost snapping the younger's arm in half. Harry yelped in pain as Alex grabbed his longish black hair tightly and tugged it harshly. Harry's hands went up automatically to try to pry Alex's hands off his hair.

"You better calm down now, Harry," Alex warned. "Control yourself or I will torture you into a coma."

Harry glared at him. Alex glared back, tugging more harshly. Harry's eyes squinted slightly from the pain.

"This is your last warning. Now calm down and get on with your plan." Alex hissed.

Alex released him roughly, shoving him forward. Harry touched his head gingerly before turning his attention back to Snape.

"What did the old coot say about my potion?" Harry growled out, turning glaring green eyes towards Snape.

"He said your potion is impossible," Snape said. "It is an anomaly that shouldn't be able to exist."

Harry brightened at that.

"Well, that's good news. They haven't figured out my secrets yet then," he said, abruptly happy.

"What are you, bipolar?" Alex grumbled.

"Now then, to the next phase of my plan," Harry said, ignoring Alex's comment. "You're going to help us. But first, you're going to take an Unbreakable Vow."

"Why?" Snape asked.

"I can't have you blurting out my plans to Dumbledore and the other idiots," Harry said cheerfully. "Besides, it's either you go along with my plan or I hand you over to Alex to be tortured into insanity to the point you can't even beg for death."

Snape shuddered at that, having also seen the sudden glint of interest that appeared in Alex's normally blank icy blue eyes. He gave a nod of acceptance and with a wave of Harry's wand, he was released form the bindings.

Harry held out his hand. Snape looked at it for a second before taking it.

"Alex, please do the honors," Harry said.

Alex took out his wand and waved it. White tendrils appeared around their hands.

"Do you swear to never tell anyone outside this room of this conversation?" Alex asked.

"Yes." Snape said.

"Do you swear to help us in anyway in our plan, regardless of what is asked of you?"

"Yes."

"Do you swear to never reveal any aspect of the plan we are about to tell you to anyone outside this room?"

"Yes."

The white tendrils curled around their wrists. Alex finished the powerful spell and the tendrils disappeared.

"Good, now let's get down to business," Harry said. "Severus, you're going to help Alex and I infiltrate the Order of the Phoenix."

Snape blinked once. Twice.

"Think he's getting it?" Harry whispered to Alex.

Alex rolled his eyes.

"How are you going to do that? As far as I can tell, none of the Order really trusts you," Snape said. "I've heard the golden trio talking about you sometimes. They're wary of you, especially you, Harry."

"Are they suspicious of us being with the Dark Lord?" Alex asked.

"No," Snape said.

"That's good enough," Harry said. "We just have to get them to trust us."

"How are you going to do that?" Snape asked. "They may start to trust you, but not Alex."

"Because he's a Slytherin," Harry said. "These people are rather prejudiced. Do they only accept Gryffindors or something? How rude."

"I can get close to Granger," Alex said. "She's usually my partner in potions. You'll have to get close to her as well Harry. Weasley and Potter will never trust you, but if Granger begins to trust you, the other two will follow like puppies."

Alex's lips twisted upwards into a smirk.

"And you know what that means, Harry," he said.

Harry's eyes widened and he made a disgusted face.

"Don't make that face, little brother. You're the one who came up with this plan. Therefore, you should be doing everything it takes." Alex said.

He patted Harry on the cheek.

"So be a good boy and go form that little stupid study group Granger wants so badly," he said.

"But she's so annoying!" Harry protested.

"You think I don't find her annoying too?" Alex asked coldly. "I want nothing more than to kill her. But if we want to complete our plan, we must do this. We can destroy the Order after our mission is done."

"Fine," Harry gritted out. "But I'm not just going to go up to her and tell her I've agreed to form a study group. It'll look too suspicious."

"I'll do it," Alex said. "And to make it look less suspicious, I'll come along and invite her friends."

"How wonderful," Harry said sarcastically.

"Just what kind of plan requires you to break into the Order headquarters?" Snape asked.

The twins looked at him and grinned identical smiles.

"Why would we tell you?" they stated in unison.

Alex flicked his wand and the barrier went down.

"Good talking to you professor," Harry said, waving a hand in farewell. "We'll be going to the feast now. See you next year~"

Without another word, the twins left, leaving Snape to crumble into the chair in defeat.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

It was finally time to leave. Alex and Harry walked along the train.

"Where are you going? I saw an empty one back there," Harry whined.

"Quit your whining," Alex said. "Just follow my lead, all right?"

"Depends what you're planning," Harry said, tilting his head, looking very much like a cat.

Alex sighed in irritation. He abruptly stopped next to a compartment, causing Harry to bump into him.

"A little warning next time, okay?" Harry grumbled.

Alex opened the compartment door, silencing the occupants inside.

"Evans, what do you want?"

"I came to talk to Granger," Alex said.

Hermione looked up in surprise.

"Alex," she exclaimed.

"Granger, thank you for conversing with me throughout the year," Alex said. "I understand I am not the easiest person to get close to, mostly having to do with the fact that I was isolated from the world most of my life. I...enjoyed potions class."

Hermione smiled. Harry poked his head over Alex's shoulder.

"Alex, you sound constipated. Calm down a little," he said, prodding his twin's cheek.

"Perhaps I sound that way because I have to deal with you constantly," Alex said, glaring at him.

"Wow, for twins, you two sure are very different from each other," Ron said. "One of you is an emotionless brick while the other is...weird."

"Ignore him," Hermione said, sighing.

"We'll see you next year. I hope we can become friends," Alex said.

Alex made to turn.

"Wait!" Hermione exclaimed.

Alex looked at her.

"How about you join us?" Hermione suggested. "I think by now, everywhere else is full."

"Hermione!" Eric and Ron protested.

"All right," Alex said.

"Shush you two," Hermione said to her friends as she moved to the other side. "Alex, Harry, you two can sit here."

The twins went in and sat down. Harry immediately huddled in a corner, hiding himself behind a stack of books.

The train soon left Hogwarts. Hermione was eyeing the books eagerly but hesitantly. Ron and Eric were talking about cards they had gotten from chocolate frogs. Alex sighed as he plucked a book from Harry's stack and opened it. It was a book on advanced Transfiguration, a subject he disliked. He closed it and put it back on the stack. He looked through the stack and found one on curses. He was about to open it when he saw Hermione's eager gaze and her twitchy fingers.

"Just ask," Alex said.

Hermione jumped and looked at him, blushing slightly that she had been caught.

"If you ask him, he'll let you borrow one," Alex said. "He just hates it when people try to take his books without permission."

"He lets you take them without asking," Hermione pointed out.

"I'm his twin," was Alex's only reply before opening the book.

Hermione swallowed nervously as she turned to look at Harry. His bangs were clipped back, his green eyes glued to the book he was reading.

"Um...Harry?" Hermione asked tentatively.

Harry's head snapped up, sickly green eyes fixating on her immediately.

"Can-can I borrow one of your books?" Hermione asked, shuffling uncomfortably underneath Harry's burning gaze.

Harry continued to stare at her. Hermione looked away.

"Which subject?"

Hermione looked up.

"I'm sorry?" she asked, not sure if she heard correctly.

"Which subject?" Harry asked again.

"Oh! Um...do you have any on runes? Or Arithmancy?" Hermione asked.

Harry lowered his book and carefully extracted one book from his stack. He held it out to Hermione. Hermione took it and looked at it. It was a book on runes, one more advanced than the ones she had looked at in the library, but she didn't mind.

"Thanks," Hermione said, smiling.

Harry went back to his book as Hermione opened the book up and began reading.

* * *

Several hours later, the train pulled into Kings Cross Train Station. Hermione gave the book she had borrowed back to Harry.

"Thanks for letting me read this Harry," Hermione said, smiling. "You know, you're not so bad."

"...Thanks," Harry said hesitantly. "You're not so bad yourself Granger."

"You can call me Hermione," the bushy haired girl said.

Hermione looked at Alex.

"Both of you can," she said. "I'll see you two next year, okay?"

"Bye," the twins said in unison.

The trio left the train, lugging their trunks with them. Harry packed his books into his own truck before shrinking it. Alex did the same and they put their trunks into their pockets.

"Let's get out of here," Alex said.

The two left the train and went to the Floo system. They muttered the address and arrived at Riddle Manor.

"Well that was tiring," Alex said.

"You can say that again," Harry grumbled. "Do we really have to play nice with Granger?"

"It is necessary for our plan to work; you know that," Alex said. "We should report our findings to father."

"What findings?" Harry asked.

"He'll want to know the location of the Order's headquarters," Alex said.

Harry grabbed Alex by the back of his collar and pulled his twin back.

"You do that and there will be no point of this plan," Harry said. "Father will want to know how we found out this information. If we tell him, it'd be breaking the Unspeakable Vow."

Alex sighed.

"Right, forgot about that," he said.

"You don't usually forget things like this," Harry said. "What's wrong with you?"

"Spending a year around idiots causes you to forget the important things," Alex said stiffly.

Harry hummed.

"You can't tell father the location...however you can tell him we are trying to find the location by getting close to the Potters," he said. "You can tell him that much. It won't harm anyone or anything."

"Then I shall do so," Alex said.

"Father will want to know if I've made any progress on retrieving his Horcruxes. I'll come with you," Harry said.

The twins walked to the throne room. They entered where Voldemort was speaking to his Inner Circle.

"Ah, Alexander, Harrison," Voldemort said. "You've returned."

The twins bowed.

"Father," they said in unison.

"Report," Voldemort ordered.

The twins stood up.

"Father, we are currently in the middle of an operation to find the location of the Order by getting close to the Potters through the pompous idiot Eric Potter and his two friends," Alex said. "However, to implement this plan, it requires both our attention. Therefore, Harry has focused his efforts onto this plan for now."

Voldemort hummed thoughtfully.

"Very well," he said. "I shall accept that for now Harrison. But do not keep me waiting."

"Of course father," Harry said. "Once we find the location of the Order's headquarters, I shall let Alex take over from there and focus my efforts into my own mission you have given me."

"Good," Voldemort said.

Voldemort looked at his Inner Circle.

"You are all dismissed," he said.

The member of the Inner Circle quickly left.

"Alexander, leave," Voldemort said. "I wish to have a word with Harrison in private for a moment."

Alex bowed his head and left the throne room.

"Father?" Harry asked.

"I have sensed a second of my Horcruxes in Hogwarts," Voldemort said. "Next year, I wish for you to retrieve it. I shall not accept any failures for this one. The diadem can wait a little while longer."

"What is the form of the Horcrux?" Harry asked.

"It is a diary," Voldemort said. "That Horcrux contains half my soul. Retrieve it at all costs. If you fail, there will be severe consequences."

Harry bowed, his sickly green eyes glittering.

"I won't fail father," he said.

"See that you don't," Voldemort said. "Dismissed."

Harry stood up and turned to leave.

"And Harrison," Voldemort spoke up once more.

Harry turned to look at his father.

"Do not tell anyone of this," Voldemort said. "The less people who know about Horcruxes, the better."

"Of course father," Harry said. "I won't breathe a word to anyone."

Harry left the throne room. Alex was waiting for him outside, leaning against the wall.

"What'd he want?" Alex asked.

"Not here," Harry said. "Let's go to my lab. There are ears everywhere."

Alex nodded. They walked to Harry's lab. Once inside, Harry locked the door and casted a silencing spell.

"Well?" Alex asked, sounding impatient.

Harry smiled a cat-like grin.

"Father says there is another Horcrux at Hogwarts," he said.

He grabbed the black journal and flipped it open to a certain page. He placed the small book on the table, facing Alex.

"The diary?" Alex asked.

"Yes," Harry said. "Next year, I will be retrieving this Horcrux, no matter the cost."

"There are many books that look like this one," Alex said.

Harry tutted, shaking his head.

"As a Horcrux, it'll radiate dark magic. You're good at sensing dark magic. According to father, he felt the diary appear at Hogwarts recently. If it is found by Dumbledore or his followers, they'll destroy it for sure." he said. "Plus, it has father's true name engraved on one side."

"Then we'll make sure that we get to it first," Alex said.

Harry hummed thoughtfully, tracing clawed pale fingers over the drawing of the diary gently.

"Hmm...that's easier said than done brother. I have a feeling next year will be quite fun~"


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Harry carefully put the vials of newly brewed potions onto the shelves in their respective places. None of his potions had been stolen since winter break last year. His security had been increased and a Notice-Me-Not charm had been placed over the entire lab. Only he and Alex could access the entire lab now.

Alex was currently on another raid. It was the first raid of the summer. There would be many more to come until second year started. Harry had plenty to time to come up with ways to find the diary and get it back to his father safely without anyone knowing.

He finished storing his potions and opened the small black book containing all the information of Horcruxes written in Parselscript. He wrote down a couple of notes. He knew his father had seven Horcruxes and had done more research. It didn't take long to figure out what all the Horcruxes were. He only knew where a few were located though. It would require more to time to figure out the rest of the locations.

Harry hummed as he closed the book and stored it in his robes. He tugged the dark blue scarf down a little. He undid the clip from his hair and then clipped his hair back again. He collapsed into a chair and groaned.

"Bored," he said out loud.

Harry casted a tempus spell. It was almost one in the morning.

"Really? One in the morning?" Harry asked to himself. "It doesn't feel that late though."

Harry frowned thoughtfully.

"Maybe Alex is right; I'm becoming an insomniac. I never really tired anymore," he said.

Harry shrugged carelessly.

"Oh well," he said. "More experimenting time for me!"

He stood up and went over to the shelf of books. He picked one and opened it.

"What should I experiment with?" he muttered out loud. "Should I make my fangs longer? Maybe make them produce venom? Or should I get claws? Hmm...choices, choices..."

Harry placed the book on the table and pulled out his wand. It was a dark brown wand, made from holly with a phoenix feather for a core. Alex's wand was made of another wood, a slightly lighter shade of brown, but with the same type of core.

"I think I'll go with...claws...venomous claws!" Harry exclaimed.

Harry studied and memorized the structure of the type of claws he wanted. He flicked his wand at his left hand before doing the same to his other hand, being ambidextrous. There was a slight pain as his fingers transformed. His pale slender fingers were elegantly clawed. The razor-sharp claws were thin, long, and colored opal white. He flicked his wand again and his new claws produced a venom. Mentally, he stopped the venom.

"How fun~" Harry purred, his pupils slitting. "Time to test it out~"

Harry walked out of his lab. His enhanced eyesight caught movement in the shadows. He turned towards it and saw it was a rat. He smiled, his eyes glowing in the dark. He paused when he heard hissing. He recognized it as Nagini.

"_Nagini_," he hissed in Parseltongue.

His father's beloved pet turned glowing yellow eyes towards him.

"_Young master Harry, what are you doing up so late?_" Nagini hissed.

"_Just a couple of experimentations. Don't kill the rat. I want to test my new claws._" Harry hissed.

Nagini hissed in acceptance. With inhuman speed, Harry lunged forward and caught the rat in a hand. It squeaked frantically. Harry tightened his grip on the terrified rodent, venom beginning to leak out. The rat's struggling increased as it squealed in pain. A sadistic smirk curled upwards on Harry's lips. The venom was burning through the rat's pelt, slowly dissolving the internal organs.

"An acidic poison," Harry said. "How fascinating!"

The rat slowly ceased struggling, slowly dying. Harry dropped the rat carelessly to the ground.

"_Go ahead Nagini. The venom shouldn't affect you_," Harry hissed in Parseltongue.

Nagini hissed in thanks and quickly swallowed the rat. Harry turned on his heel and walked back to his lab, looking quite pleased. He mentally changed his claws back to normal as he entered his lab. He picked up the book and closed it. He placed it back into its place on the bookshelf.

"What a productive night," he said cheerfully.

The door opened again. Harry knew it was his twin since nobody else but he and Alex knew the location of the lab without being guided.

"Rough night?" Harry asked, organizing his books.

He received a groan in reply. He turned to see Alex slumped in a chair, holding his Death Eater mask in one hand. Alex's head lifted, icy blue eyes glaring tiredly at him through black bangs.

"You can say that again. Those morons father calls followers don't know when to retreat when ordered," Alex said. "They're too hyped up from using so much dark magic."

"Understandable," Harry said. "For a normal person, using dark magic is rather...pleasurable. But because you're a sociopath, you don't really feel anything. How'd the raid go?"

"It was successful," Alex said. "We fought off the Order and I got Potter back for blasting me into a piece of wood last time. What've you been up to? Don't tell me you were making potions all night."

"Well that and experimenting with Transfiguration a little," Harry said.

Harry mentally summoned his claws. The elegant sharp opal white claws appeared.

"They produce an acid-like poison," Harry said. "It would be a slow death for the average human being."

The claws transformed back to normal fingernails as Harry went over to Alex.

"You look exhausted," he said.

Harry dragged Alex to his feet and led him to the backroom where his bedroom was.

"I don't think you will make it to your own bedroom in your tired state," Harry said. "I'll be generous and let you sleep in my room tonight."

Harry sat Alex on the bed.

"Go to sleep," he said. "I'm going to stay up a little longer."

"Insomniac," Alex muttered, closing his eyes.

Harry chuckled as he left the bedroom. His pupils slit.

"Insomniac indeed~" he hummed.

* * *

The next morning, Alex walked into the lab yawning. Harry was looking through his notes on Horcruxes once again.

"Morning~" Harry sang.

Alex grunted in reply.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I have almost finished my research on Horcruxes," Harry said. "Sit down; I'll tell you what I know so far."

Alex sat down, looking at him with bleary eyes. Harry tilted the book up.

"In total, father has seven Horcruxes," Harry said. "As of now, two are of them are in this manor. Two are at Hogwarts. One is theorized to be at the Black ancestral vault. I've figured out where another one is, but it is currently safe where it is now. The last one is the most difficult one to find."

"There are two in the manor?" Alex asked.

"Nagini is one Horcrux. You can feel the dark magic radiating off her. And father is a Horcrux as well," Harry said. "The diadem and diary are at Hogwarts. I'll take care of those two. Once we infiltrate the Order, we'll find the locket and destroy the Order headquarters while we're at it."

"The one that's safe?" Alex asked.

"Helga Hufflepuff's cup," Harry said. "It is located in Gringotts inside the Lestrange vault."

"The only way to get it is if Bellatrix, her husband, or brother-in-law retrieves the cup," Alex said.

"Exactly, and we all know it is impossible to steal from Gringotts," Harry said.

"And the last one?" Alex asked.

"A ring belonging to Marvolo Gaunt," Harry said. "I don't know where it is yet."

"One step at a time," Alex said. "Our main target right now is the diary...or rather your main target."

Harry grinned crazily.

"Second year will surely be interesting," he said.

* * *

It was two weeks before school started up. There had been three more raids that summer. Harry was currently experimenting with potions again. Alex poked his head into the lab.

"I'm going to Diagon Alley to get the books we need," Alex said. "Need anything? And don't say more books; you have more than enough."

"Get me a cat," Harry said.

Alex blinked several times, not expecting that answer of all things.

"What?" he finally asked.

Harry looked up from his experimenting.

"I said get me a cat," he said.

"No," Alex said. "Last time you were near an animal, you killed it through experimentation."

"I've noticed a lot of rats around my lab lately. I can't kill them all by experimenting on them. I want a cat to get rid of them all," Harry said. "If I like the cat enough, I won't do anything to it. I'll just train it to do what I want."

"You're basically a cat yourself." Alex said dully.

"I take offense!" Harry exclaimed. "You got an owl, Alex. Why can't I have a familiar?"

Harry pouted. Alex rolled his eyes.

"Give me some of your money and I'll get you a cat, but I can't guarantee you'll like it," he grumbled.

Harry lit up happily. He hurried into his room and grabbed some money, putting it into a pouch. He rushed back into the lab and tossed the pouch to his twin. Alex caught it easily and left without another word, leaving Harry to experiment happily.

* * *

About two hours later, Alex slammed the door to the lab open, looking very pissed off. Harry looked up from his book.

"What's up with you?" he asked.

Instead of answering, Alex tossed a small carrier to Harry. Harry caught it with one hand and his sickly green eyes locked onto the tiny figure inside. He put his book down and opened the carrier, pulling out a small black kitten with gold colored eyes. The kitten shivered, clinging onto Harry's hands tightly with tiny claws.

"It's a female," Alex grunted, sinking into the other chair in the lab.

"So cute!" Harry squealed. "I'm going to name you...Hedwig!"

Harry stroked the kitten's soft black fluffy fur.

"So tiny," he breathed.

The gentle stroking seemed to calm the terrified kitten, newly dubbed Hedwig, enough so she wasn't clinging to Harry's hand. She was very tiny, fitting in Harry's palm perfectly.

Harry then turned his attention to Alex.

"So, what happened to make you so angry?" he asked.

Alex pulled out a newspaper and threw it. Harry caught it and looked at the front page.

"Gilderoy Lockhart," he read. "Who's that?"

"The most annoying human being in my opinion," Alex said. "Continue reading."

Harry read through Lockhart's biography. Alex reached into his cloak and pulled out a stack of miniaturized books. He spelled them to their original size and moved them towards the younger twin. Harry looked up from the newspaper and reached over to grab the top book. He flipped through the book. He frowned and quickly went through the other books.

"What the hell is this?!" Harry exclaimed. "This is utter bullshit! Who does this man think he is?! He is no Ravenclaw!"

"Just wait until you meet him," Alex said. "He's worse in real life."

"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked.

Alex raised an eyebrow and it clicked in Harry's head.

"Oh no...no, no, no, no, no," Harry exclaimed. "You can't possibly be implying that this despicable man is-is-"

"That's exactly what I'm implying," Alex said.

"What happened to Black?" Harry demanded.

"On a trip to America for something important," Alex said. "Gilderoy Lockhart is our DADA professor this year."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Alex's eye twitched in annoyance.

"Are you okay Alex?" Hermione asked.

"I'm fine," Alex said.

Hermione nodded and looked out the window.

"I hope Eric and Ron are okay," she said.

"I'm sure their parents already know of their predicament." Alex said.

Alex glanced towards his right where Harry sat, sulking.

"Would you stop already?" he exclaimed. "You're annoying!"

"Don't speak to me," Harry grumbled. "I have to prepare myself."

"For what?" Hermione asked.

"The new DADA professor," Alex said.

"Oh! You mean Professor Lockhart? He's a really charming man, isn't he?" Hermione asked, already smitten. "His adventures are fun to read about!"

Harry growled.

"To think, that worthless piece of space came out of Ravenclaw," he said darkly. "He is a disgrace. It wouldn't surprise me if he ended up doing something reckless and stupid the first day of class."

"Like what?" Alex asked, not in a good mood himself.

"From what I've deduced about him, he's a narcissist," Harry said. "It wouldn't surprise me if he had a pop quiz on the first day about himself."

"Your deductions haven't been wrong before," Alex muttered.

"Harry, you shouldn't say that about a professor," Hermione scolded.

"Oh yeah? Watch me," Harry retorted. "I'm going to burn his books to ashes right now!"

"No!" Hermione exclaimed.

"They're a complete waste of space and never should've been written in the first place," Harry ranted. "That incompetent fool killed all these trees for his selfish desires."

Harry made to flick his wand at the stack of books he deemed unworthy of his attention. Hermione lunged forward and caught his wrist.

"Let me go!" Harry exclaimed.

"You should never burn a book!" Hermione exclaimed in horror.

"These are not books; these are not even worth calling books," Harry growled.

Alex snatched his twin's wand out of his hand. Harry blinked at his now empty hand.

"Enough," Alex snapped. "You're giving me a headache. Shut up and read something instead of whining about the new professor."

Alex closed his eyes and covered them with an arm, leaning back.

"You look exhausted Alex," Hermione said. "When's the last time you slept?"

"No idea," Alex answered. "All I know is that it wasn't last night."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Weak...I can go more than three days without sleep," Harry said, scoffing.

"Harry, that isn't good for your health!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Yeah well, not everyone is a crazy insomniac like you," Alex retorted, ignoring Hermione. "Some of us have better things to do."

Harry snorted.

"Like what?"

Alex dropped his arm and glared at Harry.

"Like sleep!" he growled. "Now shut up or I will throw you out the train!"

Harry giggled while Hermione gaped at them in surprise.

"Alex, you wouldn't actually do that, right?" Hermione asked.

"Of course he would," Harry said seriously.

Hermione stared at him. Harry chuckled.

"I'm kidding," Harry said, highly amused.

Hermione sighed in relief.

"You had me scared there for a second Harry," she said.

The bushy haired girl casted the tempus spell; she perked up happily.

"We're almost there! Only two more hours now!" she chirped cheerfully.

Harry immediately went back to sulking.

"Oh come on," Hermione said. "It won't be that bad."

"I swear, I will have my revenge. I will burn those books if it's the last thing I do for this year," Harry muttered darkly.

He looked mournfully at his wand, still being held captive by his older twin and briefly wondered if he could snatch his wand back quick enough. Alex seemed to sense his gaze and tightened his grip on the dark brown wand.

"Don't even think about it," Alex muttered. "I'm not giving your wand back until we reach Hogwarts. I don't need to spend the rest of this train ride with smoke in my lungs because of your pettiness."

"Pettiness?! It is justice! This world needs to be cleansed of those awful books!" Harry exclaimed. "You can open the window if you're so concerned!"

"Shut up," Alex mumbled, his voice lacking the usual cold sharpness.

The elder twin sounded very tired. Harry sighed but didn't say anything else. He knew Alex was exhausted from complying with their father's demands as well as planning their infiltration into the Order.

Harry felt something shuffle inside his cloak. He blinked before reaching inside, pulling out Hedwig. Hermione gasped, her eyes widening.

"You have a cat?" she asked. "I didn't know that."

Her voice was quiet, making sure not to wake Alex up. Harry smiled and petted the kitten.

"Isn't she adorable? Her name is Hedwig," Harry said softly.

"She's so fluffy and cute," Hermione exclaimed quietly, squealing slightly. "I have a familiar too."

She reached into the large basket on the seat beside her and pulled out a large orange cat. Harry frowned.

"What's that?" he asked.

Hermione blinked.

"It's my cat. His name is Crookshanks," Hermione said, smiling at the orange bundle of fur in her arms.

Harry made a disgusted face.

"That is not a cat. It's some sort of mutant creature gone wrong," he said.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Crookshanks is half-Kneazle," she said.

"Whatever, I don't care. Keep it far away from my precious little kitten," Harry said, hugging the black kitten tighter.

Hermione snorted.

"Hedwig is too young anyways," she muttered.

"If that thing in your arms comes anywhere near Hedwig, I will neuter him and it won't be pretty," Harry threatened.

Hermione hugged Crookshanks protectively.

"I get the point," she said. "I won't let him near Hedwig. I don't think he's even interested anyways."

"Good, keep it that way," Harry said. "One wrong move and that thing is dead."

Hedwig yawned cutely and opened up her golden eyes, immediately soothing Harry's rising temper. She blinked up at Harry tiredly.

"You're adorable," Harry muttered. "I never thought animals could be this cute."

Hedwig slowly became more alert of her surroundings. She looked around and saw Crookshanks. She hissed, pressing herself closer to Harry. Harry smirked.

"Good, I don't have to worry about chasing any cat away from you," he said. "Let's hope you stay that way, Hedwig."

Hedwig mewed in reply, licking his hand. Harry petted the kitten's head gently, making Hedwig purr in content.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence with only kitten purrs and grumbles from the orange creature.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

It was the first DADA class with Gryffindors and Slytherins. It had already been a week since summer break ended and Eric and Ron had crashed a magical flying car into the Whomping Willow. Hermione and Alex were sitting at the same table with Eric and Ron not too far away. Alex was slowly gaining the trust of Hermione and while Eric and Ron didn't trust him, they were no longer sending dirty glares his way.

Hermione looked eager. Lockhart hadn't shown up yet. The girls of the class were chattering excitedly while the boys grumbling and rolling their eyes.

The door suddenly opened and Lockhart came in.

"Hello everyone," he said, smiling charmingly.

The girls sighed, lovestruck. Alex rolled his eyes as the boys glared at the professor.

"Now then, first order a business, a little pop quiz to see if you've read the books for this class," Lockhart said.

Lockhart flicked his wand and each student was given a piece of parchment with questions on it.

"Begin!" Lockhart exclaimed.

Alex looked down at the first question.

_What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?_

"You've got to be kidding me," Alex muttered.

Alex read the remaining questions; they were all of the same topic.

"Damn...Harry was right," Alex muttered.

"Is there a problem Mister...?" Lockhart asked, coming over to him.

"Evans, Alex Evans," Alex said. "I was merely voicing my observations of this so called 'pop quiz' out loud."

"What sort of observations?" Lockhart asked, smiling.

His teeth were sparkling annoyingly. Alex scoffed inwardly, restraining himself from hexing the man.

"Only that the material on this quiz is completely worthless for this class," Alex said bluntly.

That stopped everyone in their tracks. They gaped at his bluntness.

"Now, now Mister Evans, this information comes from the books used for this class, written by the wonderful magical me!" Lockhart exclaimed. "This information is useful for this class; I assure you of that."

Lockhart's smile widened as if expecting an acceptance from Alex. Alex only looked at him.

"I refuse to take this quiz," he said.

"My boy, this quiz is graded. If you do not take the quiz, you will receive a poor grade for this class," Lockhart said, frowning in disapproval.

"Tell me then, what use does knowing your favorite color or ideal birthday present have to do with defending yourself against...let's say...Inferi?" Alex asked. "Would shouting the answer to those questions prevent them somehow from attacking you?"

Lockhart sputtered, his face turning red.

"No, it wouldn't," Alex said. "I refuse to be taught by a fraud like you. You say you come from Ravenclaw, but I see no traits of a Ravenclaw in you. My own twin is a Ravenclaw, and he is a true member of that house, not a fraud like you. You are nothing but a narcissist."

"Perhaps your brother will think differently when he has this class," Lockhart protested.

"Unlikely," Alex said. "He dislikes you even more than I do."

Alex picked up his bookbag, standing up.

"W-where are you going?!" Lockhart demanded, still flustered from Alex's previous words.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm leaving. I'll come back when you decide to teach the class about actually defending against the dark arts and not about yourself," Alex said.

"You can't just leave!" Lockhart exclaimed. "I-I'll fail you!"

"Go ahead; that won't stop me," Alex said, walking towards the door.

Lockhart was beet red in anger and humiliation.

"You aren't welcome in here anymore. I prohibit you from stepping a foot in this classroom ever again!" Lockhart exclaimed.

Alex paused and Lockhart smirked, thinking he had won. Everyone else was silent in anticipation of Alex's response.

Alex turned his head and gave a humorless smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Good. I never liked this class anyways," he said. "Now I have an excuse not to come."

Alex promptly turned around and left without another word.

* * *

It was lunchtime. Alex walked to the Great Hall, ignoring the stares and whispers around him. The news of him walking out in DADA had spread quickly like wildfire. He walked to the Ravenclaw table and sat down next to Harry. Harry was trying to explain a concept to Terry and Padma but was visibly getting more annoyed.

"No, no, you're getting it all wrong!" Harry exclaimed.

He snatched the quill from Terry's hand and wrote something down.

"Oh!" Terry exclaimed in realization. "I knew that."

"No you didn't," Padma said, sighing.

She saw Alex.

"Oh hi Alex," she said, smiling in greeting.

Alex grunted in acknowledgement. Harry looked at him.

"Well, look at you, the little rebel," he teased.

"Shut up," Alex said. "My actions were justified."

"I don't like Lockhart that much." Padma admitted. "Everyone else is blinded by his charms."

"Harry, thanks for helping us," Terry said. "We owe you."

Harry huffed as he refilled his cup of pumpkin juice.

"So what made you go off like that Alex? You're usually very calm and collected," Harry said, turning to his twin.

"Your deductions were right," Alex said, chomping down on a potato. "He made us do a quiz about himself."

Harry choked on his drink violently. He was wheezing. Alex smacked him on the back and Harry managed to get his breath back. Once he fully recovered, he looked at Alex incredulously.

"Seriously? I was joking about that!" he exclaimed.

"Joking or not, you were right," Alex muttered.

Harry laughed, his arms wrapped around his stomach from laughing too hard. Alex waited patiently for him to stop.

When Harry stopped, he was gasping for air.

"Oh god, that's too good," he said.

Harry coughed and wiped away tears of laughter. He shook his head in amusement.

"Your actions were very justifiable then, brother," Harry said. "However..."

Harry abruptly went serious. He leaned towards Alex to whisper in his ear.

"What you did brought attention to us," Harry muttered quietly. "Be careful of your actions from now on."

"I know; you don't have to remind me Harry," Alex muttered.

"Good," Harry said.

Harry pulled back. A shadow suddenly fell over them.

"Mister Evans," Snape's voice came.

Alex turned to see the Potions professor looming over him.

"I heard about your little...outburst...in your DADA class today," Snape said. "You would do well to be careful from now on. Per Professor Lockhart's demand, you are no longer allowed to step foot into his classroom until you hand in a written letter of apology for your words as well as a personal visit to his office to retract your statements."

"I'm afraid that won't be happening soon," Alex said. "I will not renounce my words nor do I regret saying them. They are true and people need to know he is a fraud."

Snape sighed.

"I will not force you to do anything you don't want to do, but do know you will have to retake the class next year." he said.

"Then I shall do so...if it is worth my time," Alex said.

Snape didn't say anything else. He left quickly, his black cloak billowing out behind.

"You think he uses magic to enhance his cloak to do that?" Harry asked, staring after the Potions professor.

Alex raised an eyebrow at the random question.

"What?"

Harry chuckled.

"Never mind," he said.

"Where's Hedwig?" Alex asked.

"I left her in my room. She refused to budge when I tried to wake her, so I'll check up on her after lunch," Harry said.

Alex grunted.

* * *

Alex was sitting in his usual corner of the library, researching for a potions essay. He would've asked Harry, but his younger twin had gone off somewhere to do something; he had been very vague about it.

A stack of books was slammed down on the table. Unfazed, Alex looked up to see Hermione.

"That was very foolish of you Alex," Hermione said. "You shouldn't have done what you did in DADA."

"What, tell the professor about how useless his teachings are?" Alex asked emotionlessly.

"I'm sure most of us were thinking the same thing as you were, but what you did was reckless! You just blurted it out! That was very—very Gryffindor of you!" Hermione exclaimed. "At least the rest of us had the smarts to keep our mouths shut!"

Alex closed his book and set it gently on the table. He fixed Hermione with an icy blue cold glare. Hermione froze and took an involuntary step back.

"I am nothing like a Gryffindor, Granger," Alex said coldly. "Do not presume I 'blurted' those words out without thinking. They were very much intentional."

"But-

"Don't say anything else Granger," Alex said. "If you are here to lecture me, you can walk away right now."

Hermione stared at him for a few more seconds before sighing. She sank into the chair across from him.

"I'm sorry Alex," she said. "I didn't mean what I said."

Alex opened up his book once more.

"Apology accepted," he said.

"I heard from other students that you've been instructed to write a formal letter of apology as well as formally apologize to Professor Lockhart before you're allowed into the DADA classroom," Hermione said. "Are you going to do it?"

"Why do you ask?" Alex asked. "I would think the answer is obvious."

Hermione sighed again.

"I know it's obvious, but I still had to ask," she said. "Last year, you never really liked the class anyways. I shouldn't be that surprised."

Alex turned a page, not even looking up.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

Hermione rustled through her bookbag and brought out homework.

"I'm doing homework, same as you," Hermione said. "I know how much you like your quiet time, so I promise to be quiet."

Alex grunted in acknowledgement. It was silent for several long moments, the only sounds being the quiet turning of pages and quills scratching as they raced across parchment.

There was a sudden crash behind them. Alex and Hermione looked over to see a small redheaded girl gathering up books.

"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed. "Do you need any help?"

The first year girl looked over with slightly dazed eyes. Her skin was a little pale and there were faint dark bags under her eyes.

"No," she muttered. "Thanks anyways Hermione."

Ginny reached over to grab a small black book with faded gold colored corners along with a tiny line of words at the bottom. Alex's eyes locked on it and narrowed in suspicion and slight recognition. Ginny grabbed it, her hand slightly trembling. She clutched the book to her chest protectively while gathering up the other books rather carelessly. She stood up and hurried away.

"Take care Ginny," Hermione called after her.

Hermione turned back to Alex, who was already back to reading his book. Hermione picked up his quill and went back to her homework.

Alex, on the other hand, was no longer focused on reading about charms. Instead, he was trying to remember where he had seen that small book before.

Then it struck him.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Harry was humming cheerfully as he skipped down the empty corridor. Hedwig pranced along with him, at his ankles. The small kitten was very nimble and agile as well as highly affectionate, but only towards Harry. She had taken to hissing at everyone, though she was warming up to Alex since the elder twin was identical to Harry in every way except eye color and the way they dressed.

Suddenly, Harry was grabbed by the arm and yanked behind a pillar. Hedwig mewed in confusion and skidded past before doubling back to find him. Harry had his wand drawn and an entrails curse on his lips before he identified his attacker.

"Alex! Next time, give me a warning," Harry exclaimed.

"Let me see your book, the one on Horcruxes," Alex ordered in a low voice.

Harry blinked.

"Why?" he asked.

"Let me see it," Alex gritted out.

Harry sighed. It would seem his twin was very irritated and impatient today. He took out his black book from within his robes and held it out. Alex snatched it from his hands and began flipping through the pages. He finally stopped and traced his finger down the page. He nodded, muttering to himself.

"Oi! Tell me what's going on," Harry said.

Alex turned the book around, showing the sketch of the diary.

"I found it," he said.

Harry blinked. He looked around for any eavesdroppers; there was nobody in the corridor except for them. He looked at Alex again.

"You...found the diary?" he asked.

Alex nodded.

"It is currently in the hands of a first year Gryffindor, Ginny Weasley," he said in a hushed voice.

"A Weasley?" Harry hissed.

Alex nodded once in confirmation.

"How can you be sure it is the diary you saw?" Harry asked in a low voice.

"I saw it in the library. Ginny tripped over her own feet and dropped the diary. She clutched it to her chest like it was her lifeline but treated the other books carelessly. Not only that, but her eyes were dazed," Alex hissed.

"I see," Harry muttered, rubbing his chin.

Harry took the book from Alex and looked at the drawing.

"From your explanation, the diary has the power to possess someone," he said. "Tell me, did the Weasley look pale? Weakened?"

"Perhaps a little pale; I could see faint dark bags under her eyes," Alex said.

"She likely hasn't been sleeping. The diary's power may not be just possession. I'll need to research this more," Harry said.

* * *

One month later, it was Halloween. The twins were walking along the corridors, avoiding the feast of sweets. It made them both nauseous for different reasons. Harry's enhanced senses couldn't handle the sickly sweet scent while Alex...well he loathed sweets as much as he loathed the smells of meat and dairy.

"I hate Halloween," Harry grumbled. "I can smell that crap all the way from here."

Alex grunted in agreement to hating Halloween. Suddenly, Harry perked up. He turned to see Hedwig scampering towards him.

"Hedwig?" he asked. "What are you doing out here?"

Hedwig mewed and bit the hem of Harry's robe, tugging it as hard as she could, which wasn't much since she was still so tiny.

"Looks like she wants us to go with her," Alex said.

"Hedwig, show us what you found," Harry said.

Hedwig mewed and rushed back the way she came from. The twins ran after her. They followed her to the dungeon where they stepped in water. Hedwig hissed as water splashed onto her furry coat. Harry scooped her up and Hedwig mewed again, pawing at his chest. Harry looked down at her before sniffing the air.

"I smell...blood," Harry said.

His pupils slit and Harry leapt forward. Alex ran after him. They turned the corner in time to see a shadowed figure painting something on the wall. The paint was a vivid red color and smelled of iron. Alex motioned Harry to be quiet.

"That's Ginny," he whispered.

Harry narrowed his eyes. Hedwig watched with sharp golden eyes. The redheaded girl's movements were almost robotic, like a puppet. She swayed as she painted as if she wasn't truly in the real world. There were little colored things on her robes.

"What are those things on her clothes?" Alex whispered.

Harry squinted slightly, using his enhanced sight.

"Feathers," he hissed.

"What kind?" Alex asked softly.

Harry sniffed the air.

"Some kind of bird," he muttered. "I don't recognize the smell though."

Ginny finished painting whatever she was painting and left the corridor. The twins stepped out and went forward.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware," Harry read.

"Chamber of Secrets?" Alex asked. "I've never heard of that before."

Harry hummed, stroking Hedwig's soft black fur. The kitten purred softly.

"If that truly is the diary Horcrux, it obviously knows what the Chamber of Secrets is and because it is our father's Horcrux, he definitely knows what this chamber is," Harry said.

Harry held up three options.

"The way I see it, we have three options," he said. "One: we follow Ginny and take the diary right then and there. Two: we wait it out and see what happens, taking the diary at the end of the year. Or three: we go after Ginny and if she's really being possessed by the diary, we'll be able to talk directly to the Horcrux itself."

"Either way, this will be a hassle for us," Alex said.

"I say we go talk to the Horcrux and find out what he's planning. And if we want to, we can even play along," Harry said, smirking.

"And why would we go along with a Horcrux's plans?" Alex asked, crossing his arms. "It would be a waste of time for us seeing how we're just going to take it back to father."

"Think about it," Harry said, flicking Alex lightly on the forehead. "If we play along with it, we'll be able to keep a closer eye on it. The minute things go wrong, we can grab the diary and get out of there. Without us there, the diary is at risk of being destroyed if discovered by anyone, especially Dumbledore."

"But us being with that Horcrux also means we are risking our plans to infiltrate the Order," Alex hissed. "What if we are caught?"

"Then we find another way to get the locket," Harry said. "The plan I came up with is just the main plan, but every plan needs a backup in case things don't go as planned. Plus, father will be very...upset if we don't successfully retrieve the diary safely."

"You mean to say if you don't retrieve the diary safely," Alex said. "As of the moment, father has no idea that I know about your mission Harry. If we fail to get the diary safely, you'll be the one facing the consequences."

"Oh trust me brother, if I have to face father's wrath, I'm taking you down with me," Harry said, losing his smile.

Alex grabbed Harry by the collar and pulled him in close.

"He would never believe you. It's a wonder he hasn't gotten rid of you yet Harry," he said coldly. "You lie and manipulate as if it is second nature for you. As a result, father trusts me more. If I tell him you're lying, he'll believe me."

"Are you threatening me?" Harry asked quietly.

"Indeed I am," Alex said. "But you're not going to do anything about it."

"And why wouldn't I?" Harry asked, tilting his head.

"Because you know everything I said about you is true," Alex replied. "You know father almost despises you. Do you want to know something Harry? Father never intended to keep you in the first place. He only wanted one son to take his place as Dark Lord. He had no need for a second son."

"What are you talking about?" Harry growled.

Alex raised his other hand and gently tugged down the dark blue scarf, revealing the long jagged pale line along Harry's throat. He traced it almost tenderly, making Harry shiver.

"Haven't you ever wondered about this?" Alex muttered. "How you got it? Surely you know it isn't a birth mark."

Alex leaned forward a little.

"The truth is...father tried to slit your throat when you were only a baby." Alex muttered softly. "He almost succeeded, but your magic saved you. It healed the wound but left this scar behind. Father recognized your power and decided to keep you alive. It was a good thing he did; you are a genius in all arts after all. But that's your only value to father."

"Shut up," Harry hissed. "How do you know?"

"Father told me himself. You wouldn't know anything since you never come out of that lab of yours. He never cared about you. You are only an asset to him, nothing more. The second you become useless to him, he'll kill you."

"I thought you said you were the only one who can kill me," Harry said.

He raised a hand and rested it on Alex's wrist.

"I'll ask father for the honors when the time comes," Alex said.

Alex released him and pushed him away. Harry balanced himself quickly.

"Do whatever you want, but don't mess anything up," Alex said. "This is your only chance. If something goes wrong, it's on your head."

"I won't mess anything up," Harry said.

He smirked.

"And besides, none of my plans have gone wrong yet."

Alex huffed slightly.

"There is a first for everything. I'll be waiting for that moment Harry," he said.

Alex turned on his heel and walked back the way they went. Harry watched him go. Once Alex disappeared around the corner, a fake smile curled up on Harry's lips.

"How fascinating...and what a petty reason for father to hate me," he muttered to himself.

Harry giggled, the soft sound echoing in the chamber. His sickly green eyes glowed as his pupils slit. He stroked Hedwig's soft pelt, the kitten purring in content.

"Unfortunately for you Alex, I'm not going to die so easily...and if I do, I'll take you with me."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Harry and Alex followed Hedwig down the corridor as the kitten led them to where Ginny and the diary were. Four months had passed and four students had been petrified. The school was beginning to panic.

"Where are we going?" Alex asked.

"Shush and follow Hedwig," Harry said.

Alex studied him.

"After what I told you about your scar, you are very composed," he said. "I expected more of a reaction from you. Maybe some rage."

"Oh trust me, I am mad about it. However, there is nothing I can do about it. I cannot make father not hate me, but I can make sure he won't be getting rid of me anytime soon," Harry said. "He entrusted me with the retrieval of his Horcruxes. I won't fail that mission...however perhaps it was a little reckless of father to give me this mission."

"Why do you say that?" Alex asked. "Would you blackmail him with his own life to not kill you?"

"Hmm...that is a good idea...but no, not that," Harry said. "The fact is, dear brother, Horcruxes are an extremely sensitive topic in the wizarding world. It is black soul magic at its worst and very, very few people know the topic actually exists. Father knew I would eventually find out about it and question whether or not he had them. The only indicator he has Horcruxes are his eyes."

"The crimson red color," Alex said.

"Yes," Harry said. "Don't you remember seeing any old pictures of father? His eyes were always a blue color, similar to your own eye color. That can only be assumed I received my eye color from our mother. But back to father, because of his original blue eye color and current red color, something happened to him that caused his eyes to change color. Blood is a usual indicator of blood and maybe even power, as well as death in a way. With each life father takes, his soul will slowly be broken up into pieces and if he were to perform the ritual to create a Horcrux, it would easily be done."

"Where are you going with all this?" Alex asked in a bored tone.

"When father gave me the mission to retrieve the diary, he said it contained half of his soul," Harry said. "If you research Horcruxes thoroughly enough, you will find that with each Horcrux made, half of the soul will be ripped apart each time. Seven is the limit, which is what father has."

"Why seven?"

"Because the meaning of the number seven is wholeness and completion. You put seven Horcruxes together and you have an entire soul," Harry said.

Hedwig mewed and stopped in front of a door.

"Why are we in front of the girls' bathroom?" Alex asked.

"My, my, you really don't do your research," Harry teased.

Alex glared at him.

"Calm down," Harry said, smirking. "I'm getting to the point."

"Do it quickly," Alex gritted out.

"If you remember what I said earlier, I said that the diary has half of a whole soul contained it. That means the diary is father's first Horcrux. That means he used his first victim to create the Horcrux." Harry said.

"That doesn't explain why we're here," Alex said, crossing his arm.

"You need to research more Alex. If you had, you would know that father was here when the Chamber of Secrets was opened before, about 50 years ago. The student killed was a muggleborn named Myrtle. She was killed in this very bathroom by the monster of the Chamber of Secrets." Harry said.

Harry opened the door and went in.

"Myrtle," he called. "Are you there?"

A ghost of a young girl drifted out of one of the bathroom stalls.

"What do you want, boy?" she asked.

"I need to ask you some questions," Harry said.

"Why should I talk to you? I heard about what you did to Helena," Myrtle said.

"Oh dear, did she tell anyone of our conversation?" Harry asked, frowning. "Aww, now I have to follow through with my promise to her."

"Nothing of the sort," Myrtle said. "We tried to get her to speak, but she's scared out of her mind after her encounter with you. The only thing she would say was that you were a demon child and to never go near or speak to you."

"You're speaking to me now," Harry said, smirking slightly.

"We ghosts will always avoid you because you are a monster, not even human anymore," Myrtle said. "But even we know better than to ignore you if you come calling for us. You would do greater harm than you did to Helena if we kept you waiting."

"Good, you ghosts learn quickly," Harry said, giggling slightly. "This makes things a lot easier~"

His pupils slit. Myrtle drifted back, clenching her fists.

"Ask your questions. After that, I want you to leave," Myrtle said.

"I'm afraid I can't do that just yet," Harry said. "Tell me, what was the last thing you saw before you died?"

"A pair of great, big yellow eyes," Myrtle said.

"Over there?" Harry asked, pointing to the sinks.

Myrtle nodded.

"Was it painless?" Harry asked.

"I just remember looking into the eyes and then I was floating in darkness. Then I woke up and I was a ghost," Myrtle said.

Harry tilted his head.

"Oh? How interesting~" he purred.

Harry walked over to the sinks and began searching for something. It only took him a few seconds.

"Ahh, there you are," he said, his smirk widening. "Look Alex, the symbol of Slytherin. This is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets."

"In a girl's bathroom?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, I don't pretend to know what Salazar Slytherin was thinking when he built his secret chamber," Harry said, sighing.

Harry turned to the sinks.

"_Open_," Harry hissed in Parseltongue.

The sinks rumbled as they separated to reveal a long tunnel.

"So the monster is a snake?" Alex asked.

"To be more specific, a basilisk," Harry said. "How Myrtle described her death confirmed it. If you look into a basilisk's eyes directly, you will immediately die. If you look into a basilisk's eyes through a reflection, you will be petrified. And by each victim, there was a trail of spiders. Hagrid keeps coming up to the castle with dead roosters. That's what started my theory about the monster in the chamber. The cry of a rooster is lethal to a basilisk and spiders flee in the presence of one."

"Every victim was in a different location in the castle. How is the basilisk traveling through the castle unseen?" Alex asked.

"The pipes in the walls," Harry said.

Alex sighed.

"You truly are a genius," he muttered. "Perhaps father should've tried to kill you after all."

"Don't worry Alex," Harry said. "I don't plan to double-cross father anytime soon."

"That implies you will eventually betray father," Alex said, narrowing his eyes at his twin.

"Take it however you want," Harry said. "But right now, know we're on the same team."

Harry peered into the dark tunnel.

"In the meantime, let's go down there and say hello," he said.

He looked at Hedwig and the black kitten leapt into his arms. Harry cradled her in one hand and with the other, he grabbed Alex by the wrist and jumped into the tunnel. Alex's eyes widened in alarm as they fell through the air.

They collided into hard stone and slid down the slippery surface until they crashed into a pile of bones. The twins stood up and brushed the dust and slime off their robes. Harry looked around.

"Look, snake skin," Alex said, nudging his twin.

Harry immediately fixated on the large and long husk and lit up as if it were Yule. He rushed over and trailed pale slender long fingers over the husk gently.

"Basilisk skin; this is extremely rare to get," he said giddily. "This is a great ingredient for potions! And it's all mine now!"

Harry giggled as he flicked his wand at the husk. It shrank down and Harry quickly pocketed it. They walked forward until they finally came upon a large circular door with a snake on it.

"This must be the entrance to the actual chamber," Harry said.

"Let's see if it is," Alex said. "_Open_."

The snake began moving, unlocking the door. The circular door swung open, revealing a large chamber within. The twins entered. There was a small figure towards the end of the chamber, where a large head of Salazar Slytherin stood.

The small figure turned as they heard the door open. It was Ginny, her eyes dazed.

"How did you get in here?" she asked.

"You must be Tom Marvolo Riddle, yes?" Harry asked cheerfully.

Ginny blinked in surprise.

"Well, I am currently possessing the body of this little girl, but yes," she said.

"Hmm...you're not what I imagined a Horcrux to be," Harry said, biting his lip.

The possessed girl stiffened, her eyes widening.

"You know about Horcruxes?" she asked. "How does a little boy like you know?"

"Oh I know a great many of things," Harry said, giggling darkly. "Now tell me little Horcrux, what do you hope to accomplish with setting the basilisk loose in Hogwarts?"

"I am finishing off the job I started 50 years ago," Tom said, using Ginny's voice still.

"And why are you still possessing Weasley?" Harry asked, tilting his head.

"I am not strong enough yet," Tom said. "I am slowly sapping Ginny's life away to make a corporeal form for myself."

"So...you're a diary...Alex said Ginny looked rather protective of the diary in the library..." Harry muttered.

Harry snapped his fingers.

"Ginny's been writing in the diary to you all year, hasn't she?" he stated. "Once she found out you would listen to her every problem in her life, the stupid girl poured her heart and soul into the diary but because of that, she doesn't realize she's been growing weaker by the day. If she ever realized that, she would try to get rid of the diary. But you'd only lure her back; it's too late for her. The only way she'll be released from your control is if we sever the link or the diary is destroyed."

"No magical spell can destroy a Horcrux," Tom said.

"No...but basilisk venom can," Harry said. "It is powerful and extremely lethal. It wouldn't have any problem destroying a Horcrux."

"I suppose you are right," Tom said. "Who are you two anyways?"

"Ah, my apologies, we didn't even introduce ourselves," Harry said.

Harry looked at Alex.

"Real names or fake names?"

Alex grunted.

"Alexander Riddle," the elder twin said. "This is Harrison Riddle. We are the sons of the Dark Lord Voldemort."

Tom blinked.

"I guess, in a way, that makes us your sons too," Harry said, chuckling.

"W-what?!" Tom exclaimed. "I have children?!"

"Yes," Alex said. "But let's focus on the main objective now. We can go back to this later."

"Fine," Tom muttered. "What do you want from me?"

"We've been sent by father to retrieve the diary Horcrux, namely you," Harry said. "However, I don't want to do that just yet. I propose you let us join your little...game."

"You would help me get rid of all the muggleborns?" Tom asked.

"I don't care about that. I just want in on the fun," Harry said. "However, Alex and I have to be very careful about this. We need to make sure you aren't harmed. We would also have to play being oblivious so nobody knows we're aware of this chamber and the monster within it. If the chamber should be discovered, we will take you away at once to ensure your safety."

Tom frowned thoughtfully before nodding.

"Very well," he said. "I do have one request."

"Yes?" Harry asked.

"I've heard a lot about this Eric Potter, the one that is supposed to be my downfall according to the prophecy," Tom said. "I would like to meet him."

Harry tilted his head in a cat-like fashion. His pupils slit. Alex raised an eyebrow but stayed quiet otherwise.

"I'm sure we can arrange something~"


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

It was approaching the end of the year now and the entire school was on edge from all the petrifyings.

The twins walked down the corridor.

"Things are going rather smoothly," Harry said in a low voice.

Alex hummed. "Your plan needs a little tweaking," he said. "If anyone finds out we know what the monster is, they'll suspect us and it'll ruin the other plan."

"I suppose you're right," Harry said. "What do you propose we do?"

"We need to get the golden trio to trust us," Alex said quietly. "If they ever suspected us before, it'll end if we do something drastic that leaves them no choice but to think we are good people. If all goes well, this will help us gain the trust of that old man and get us into the Order."

"You're right about that," Harry said. "Any ideas?"

A smirk curled upwards on Alex's lips. "Yes actually," he said. "You recently spied on Potter and his two friends, right? They are working on trying to figure out what the monster in the chamber is. You saw them visit the huge spider clan in the Forbidden Forest. Aragog gave them information about who died 50 years ago. I suggest you help them, or more specifically Granger. I'll speak to the Horcrux and tell him to set the basilisk on you and Granger. You two will be petrified, making sure to leave a clue about what the monster. I will go with Potter and Weasley into the chamber and face the basilisk. And before they can destroy the diary, I'll plant a fake and get the real one out of there quickly."

"One problem," Harry said. "How are you going to get the entrance open? They'll suspect you even more if they hear you speaking Parseltongue. And how do I know you aren't just going to have the basilisk kill me?"

"I will take care of getting the chamber open. And this entire plan as well as your plan to infiltrate the Order all depends on you," Alex said. "I will keep you alive until you have no more use to both father and I."

"The plan to infiltrate the Order depends more on you actually getting the diary to safety without revealing yourself," Harry said. "If you blow it, we'll never get the locket."

"Harry, at this point, failure is no longer an option," Alex said seriously. "This plan will succeed."

Harry huffed before nodding.

"Wait for Granger to come to you first," Alex said. "I have a feeling she is close to figuring it out."

Harry nodded once.

* * *

The twins were walking from the Great Hall, bickering about a homework assignment.

"Harry!" a familiar voice called.

The twins looked up to see Hermione with Eric and Ron following her at a slower pace.

"Hermione?" Harry asked. "What do you want?"

Hermione stopped before them.

"May I speak to you for a second? It's important," Hermione said.

Harry tilted his head.

"About what?" he asked.

"Er...a Potions essay," Hermione said.

"But Mione, didn't you already finish your essay?" Ron asked.

"Just come on!" Hermione exclaimed.

She grabbed Harry by the wrist and pulled him away. Alex grabbed Harry's other wrist.

"Hang on, you can't just drag my twin off for no reason," Alex said.

Hermione sighed.

"I'm sorry Alex, but please...this is something I can only talk to Harry about. It is very important that I confirm it with him first before telling the rest of you," the bushy haired girl said.

Alex narrowed his eyes before looking at Harry. Harry gave an imperceptible nod. Alex huffed and released Harry.

"Fine," he said. "Next time, warn me before you go dragging my twin off for no reason."

"Thanks Alex," Hermione said, smiling slightly.

She looked at her two friends.

"Go on without me," she said. "We'll be in the library."

Hermione and Harry walked away. Eric scoffed.

"What's so important that she'll talk to that creepy guy rather than her two best friends?" Eric grumbled.

"Perhaps it is because Harry has the brains to keep up with her," Alex said. "You two are rather...slow."

Ron growled and made to attack him. He was restrained by Eric.

"It's not worth it Ron," Eric said, glaring at Alex. "Let's just go."

Alex watched them disappear into the Great Hall before humming to himself. He walked away.

"Looks like the game has begun..."

* * *

Hermione slammed a large book down in front of Harry.

"So why am I here again?" Harry asked.

"Because you're the smartest person I know," Hermione said. "You'll be able to confirm my findings."

She flipped through the thick book before coming to a page. She turned it towards Harry, revealing a drawing of a basilisk. Harry raised an eyebrow. The bushy haired girl had figured it out sooner than he expected. Impressive.

"A basilisk?" Harry asked, feigning ignorance.

"We have to be quiet about this," Hermione said in a hushed voice. "I've been thinking about the recent victims of the monster in the Chamber of Secrets. They were all petrified and next to all of them was something you couldn't see anything directly through, like a mirror or a ghost. Then there's the fleeing spiders and dead roosters."

Hermione pointed to a passage.

"It says here that spiders flee from the presence of a basilisk and a rooster's cry is lethal to them," she said. "I also found that 50 years ago, this very same thing happened. There was one death, a muggleborn girl that died in the bathroom."

"Moaning Myrtle?" Harry asked.

"I think so," Hermione said. "And then there's the part of the heir. The Chamber of Secrets was built by Salazar Slytherin and seeing how his symbol is a snake, I theorized the monster was some species of snake. Not only that, but Salazar Slytherin was a Parseltongue, so the heir would also have to be a Parseltongue. With all that and this information from the book, I concluded the monster is a basilisk."

"Well, nobody really knows how Moaning Myrtle died, only that she was killed 50 years ago," Harry said. "If she says she saw a basilisk's eyes, that would've killed her instantly. However, if you look into a basilisk's eyes through something, you will end up petrified instead. There's just one problem Hermione. All the victims were found in different parts of the castle. How did the basilisk travel around unseen?"

"Well...I've investigated each location the victims were found in. There are pipes in the wall. I think that's how the basilisk is traveling to the different locations," Hermione said.

Harry hummed thoughtfully, tilting his head.

"You may just be right. Everything you said fits to the description of a basilisk. We should go report this to the headmaster," Harry said. "If the monster truly is a basilisk, everyone is in danger."

Hermione nodded.

"We need to be careful though," she said.

She ripped the page on basilisks out of the book and wrote the word 'pipes' in the corner. She crumbled it up in her hand.

"We need to hurry," she said. "If the heir finds out we know about the basilisk, they'll target us next."

They closed the book and ran out of the library only to freeze.

"I think...we're too late," Harry muttered.

They could feel eyes on their back.

"Whatever you do, don't turn around," Harry hissed. "And don't make any sudden moves or it'll attack."

Hermione slowly lifted her hand up.

"Harry, take this to the headmaster," she whispered. "I'll try to draw it off."

Harry took the crumbled paper in his hand. Hermione slowly reached into her bookbag and took out two hand mirrors.

"Take one," Hermione whispered.

Harry grabbed a mirror and gripped it in his other hand.

"On the count of three, we run in different directions," Hermione whispered.

Harry nodded.

"One...two...three!" Hermione whispered.

The two split up.

Harry ran for several long moments. He finally stopped and held up the hand mirror. It was silent everywhere, eerily so.

Suddenly, he heard hissing behind him.

"_Hello young master Harry,_" the basilisk hissed.

The basilisk had always been nice to the twins after learning their true identities when they first met Horcrux Tom. But at the same time, the basilisk was terrifying and majestic.

"_Put your mirror up young master. I will petrify you so your plan may go smoothly._" the basilisk hissed.

Harry slowly held up the hand mirror and looked into the reflection. The basilisk's glaring yellow eyes pierced into him. Harry felt his breath leave him and he collapsed to the ground, completely petrified.

* * *

Alex looked up as a shadow fell over him.

"Mister Evans, please come with me," Snape said grimly.

Alex frowned before closing his book and standing up. He followed Snape through the corridors to the hospital wing.

"What happened?" Alex asked.

"There's been another attack, two actually," Snape said.

They stepped into the hospital wing. He saw Eric and Ron hovering over one of the beds with McGonagall at the foot of the bed. Madame Pomphrey stood over another bed. He recognized the figure on the bed and rushed over. Harry's eyes were glassy. His hand was held up in front of him, as if he had been holding something. Alex looked over to see that Hermione had been petrified as well, her hand in the same position.

"These two were found close to each other. We think they had been walking together from the library only to be confronted by the basilisk. They tried running, but in the end, the basilisk found both of them and petrified them." McGonagall said.

"Hermione," Ron choked out.

Alex touched Harry's hand gently.

"Alex," Eric said.

Alex looked over.

"I'm sorry about Harry," Eric said.

Alex looked back at his twin.

"We'll leave you three alone now," McGonagall said quietly.

The two professors left the hospital wing. Madame Pomphrey went into her office.

"Why were they together anyways? We never did find that out. And now...they're both petrified," Ron said.

"Maybe that house elf was right; I should've stayed home this year." Eric muttered.

"House elf?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's why we weren't on the train at the beginning of the year. A house elf named Dobby came to me secretly and told me to stay home. He's been doing things all year to get me sent home."

"So that rogue bludger, was that Dobby too?" Ron asked.

"Yeah," Eric said.

Alex didn't say anything else. He grasped Harry's other hand. It was clenched slightly. Alex blinked and looked down when he felt something in his twin's hand. He bent down a little and saw a crumbled piece of parchment.

"Potter, Weasley," Alex said. "Come over here. I found something."

Alex took the crumbled ball as Eric and Ron walked over. Alex carefully smoothed the parchment out.

"A basilisk?" Ron asked, reading over Alex's shoulder.

"A basilisk, top of the snakes. Spiders flee from its presence and the cry of a rooster is lethal to it. Its fangs are very venomous and if you look directly into their eyes, you'll die instantly," Eric muttered. "Pipes..."

Eric lit up.

"That's it!" he exclaimed. "Hermione and Harry figured it out! The monster is a basilisk and it's been using the pipes throughout Hogwarts to petrify its victims."

"Hang on, that's Hermione's handwriting. Why is this in Harry's hand?" Ron asked.

"They must've realized the basilisk was after them. Hermione may have tried to stall for time by giving the page to Harry and then running in the opposite direction." Alex said.

"How are we going to find the Chamber of Secrets?" Eric asked.

Ron suddenly gasped.

"Eric! Do you remember what Aragog said? The last victim from 50 years ago died in a bathroom!" he exclaimed.

"But not just any bathroom," Eric said. "It was the girls' bathroom!"

The two looked at each other.

"Moaning Myrtle," they exclaimed in unison.

Suddenly, Madame Pomphrey hurried out of her office.

"Mr. Weasley, the headmaster has summoned you. I'm afraid it is terrible news," the nurse said.

"What? Why?" Ron asked, frowning.

"The headmaster will explain it to you." Madame Pomphrey said. "Hurry now! To Professor McGonagall's classroom!"

The three looked at each other before rushing out of the hospital wing. They reached McGonagall's classroom quickly. Every teacher except Lockhart was there along with Molly and Arthur Weasley.

"Mum? Dad? What's going on?!" Ron exclaimed.

"Ronald!" Molly exclaimed.

Molly surged forward and hugged her second youngest child. A few seconds later, Fred, George, and Percy came into the classroom.

"Um...why are we here?" Percy asked.

"Mum!" Fred and George exclaimed.

"What happened?" Ron asked nervously.

"The monster has taken a victim down to the chamber itself," Dumbledore said gravely. "I am sorry to say the victim was...Ginny Weasley."


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"I can't believe it," Ron choked out.

The three had left and were now sitting on a bench in the corridor. Ron's brothers were inside comforting their distraught mother. Eric didn't say anything; he had an arm draped over Ron's shoulders. Alex sat on Eric's other side, feeling awkward. He had never been in this kind of situation before.

"What's with the sad faces, boys?" a cheerful voice asked.

Alex groaned inwardly as they looked up to see Lockhart. The narcissist was smiling, his teeth sparkling abnormally.

"How can you smile like that?" Eric asked angrily. "Don't you have any idea what is happening?"

Lockhart blinked in surprise at the sharp angry tone.

"Mr. Potter, do not take that tone of voice with me," Lockhart said sternly.

Eric glared at him. The door opened and McGonagall came out.

"Ah Gilderoy, thank goodness you're here," McGonagall said.

"Minerva, what has happened?" Lockhart asked.

"A child has been taken into the chamber itself," McGonagall said. "We will leave things to you, Gilderoy."

"I'm sorry?" Lockhart asked in a confused tone.

"Weren't you saying a few days ago you knew exactly where the chamber was?" Snape asked from behind McGonagall. "With your legendary skills, I'm sure the monster will be no match for you, Professor Lockhart."

"...Right," Lockhart said hesitantly. "I'll just be going now...to get ready that is."

Lockhart left. McGonagall looked at Eric, Ron, and Alex.

"You three best get back to your dormitories. It'll be safe there," she said.

The three nodded and stood up. They walked away.

"Ginny...I can't believe it," Ron muttered in denial.

"All right, that's it," Eric exclaimed. "We're going to the Chamber of Secrets and we're getting Ginny back. I'm tired of seeing you mope around, Ron!"

"In case you've forgotten, the monster is a basilisk, one of the most feared magical beings in existence," Alex said in monotone voice.

"We'll avoid it if we can. If not, then don't look it into the eyes," Eric said.

"Easier said than done; have you also forgotten a basilisk has venomous fangs?" Alex asked. "And also, how are we going to get into the chamber?"

"Well, we already know where the entrance is. The bathroom where Moaning Myrtle died," Eric said. "We just have to figure out where she saw the basilisk's eyes. That's where the entrance will be, right?"

They rushed to the girls' bathroom. Moaning Myrtle was floating near the ceiling.

"Moaning Myrtle!" Eric called.

The ghost looked down.

"What do you want?" she asked rudely.

"We need your help," Eric said. "Please tell us how you died."

Moaning Myrtle tilted her head.

"Why would you want to know that?" she asked.

"We know you died 50 years ago from the last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened," Eric said.

Moaning Myrtle stared at them. Her eyes subtly looked over to Alex. Alex gave a tiny almost imperceptible nod. Moaning Myrtle sighed and floated down.

"Fine," she said. "My death was peaceful. I was in the bathroom crying and I thought I heard someone outside my stall. I opened the door to tell them to go away when suddenly, I was floating in darkness. I woke up as a ghost."

"And where were you looking when you died?" Eric asked.

Moaning Myrtle pointed at the sinks.

"There," she said. "I saw a great big pair of yellow eyes from there. That's all I remember. Now stop bothering me."

The ghost floated away. Eric and Ron went over to the sinks and began searching for a sign.

"Hey guys, I found something!" Ron exclaimed suddenly.

Eric and Alex walked over to where Ron were, but were caught from behind.

"Found what?" Lockhart's voice sounded. "What are you boys even doing here?"

"Wouldn't you know, professor?" Alex asked. "After all, you know where the Chamber of Secrets is, right?"

Alex shoved Lockhart's hand away and straightened his robes. Lockhart frowned.

"Now, now, Mr. Evans-

"You came to rescue my sister, right?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Well..." Lockhart trailed off, looking away.

"Don't listen to this fool, Weasley," Alex said. "He just said those things because he's a narcissistic idiot looking for attention."

"That's not in my character at all! I'll have you know all those things I wrote in my books are true!" Lockhart exclaimed.

"Yeah, books that you wrote," Alex said blandly, throwing up quotation gestures. "You truly are a moron. Dumbledore was a fool to hire you to replace Black for the year. He's getting too old."

"Shut up, Alex," Eric snapped. "You don't know how great a wizard Dumbledore is."

"How about instead of arguing with me, you figure out a way to open the entrance to the chamber," Alex said. "Or do you not care about Ginny?"

"Of course we care," Eric growled.

"Then stop your bickering," Alex said.

Eric grumbled under his breath, something about 'slimy Slytherins'.

"Well, surely the entrance to the chamber isn't in a girls' bathroom," Lockhart said. "I'll go search somewhere else."

Alex pointed his wand at him. Lockhart stiffened.

"I'm afraid you won't be going anywhere tonight, Lockhart," Alex said.

He gave a fake innocent smile.

"After all, you were just planning to run away."

Lockhart made to protest.

"Don't deny it," Alex cut him off. "Come up here so I won't have to harm you."

Lockhart gulped nervously but consented to Alex's commands.

"How do we open it?" Ron asked.

"Well, the heir would have to be able to control the basilisk, so the heir is mostly likely a Parselmouth," Eric said.

"Eric, none us speak Parseltongue," Ron said.

"Well, perhaps I can help," Lockhart said arrogantly. "I know plenty of spells that can override a spell in Parseltongue."

Lockhart whipped his wand out and shouted some ridiculous line of words. Alex rolled his eyes but took the chance to whisper in Parseltongue as the fraud's voice echoed around the room. The entrance opened. Lockhart grinned smugly.

"My skills are legendary as you can see," he said, his teeth sparkling.

"Well since they are so legendary, perhaps you better go down first," Alex said, smirking slightly.

Before any of them could protest, Alex planted a foot in Lockhart's back and sent him flying over the edge and into the deep dark tunnel. They could hear Lockhart screaming until there was a faint thud.

"Alex, that was uncalled for," Eric said, not even sounding concerned.

"I was merely doing what anyone else would do," Alex said calmly. "Besides, he was annoying me."

"That's not a reason to just kick someone into a tunnel that we don't even know how deep it is," Eric said, glaring.

"It didn't sound too deep," Ron said, peering over the edge.

"Let's go," Alex said. "It's now or never."

"Hang on! We haven't even come up with a plan yet!" Eric protested.

"The longer we leave Lockhart down there, the more trouble there will be," Alex said. "Come up with a plan up here or do it when we're down there."

"What if the basilisk is down there?!" Ron exclaimed.

"Then we'll deal with it," Alex said calmly.

Without another word, Alex stepped forward and let himself fall. He used magic to cushion himself to prevent the bones at the bottom from hurting him too much. Eric and Ron weren't so lucky. They crashed headfirst into the pile of bones while Alex gracefully stood up and dusted his robes off.

Eric and Ron stood up and picked out tiny bones and sticks from their hair and clothes. There was a crunch and they all looked up to see Lockhart pointing his wand at him. Alex sighed.

"I knew I was forgetting something," he muttered.

"This is the end of the adventure boys," Lockhart said. "I'm going to wipe your memories and tell everyone you were too late to save the girl. When you saw her cold dead body in the chamber, you completely broke down and couldn't even remember it since it was so traumatic. Oh, the memory charm is a wonderful thing, isn't it?! You don't know how many times I used it in order to ensure my success!"

But before Lockhart could say another word, he was hit by a stunning spell. Eric and Ron looked over at Alex. Alex calmly tucked his wand back into his sleeve.

"Much better," he said. "His voice was starting to get on my nerves."

"You just attacked a professor!" Ron exclaimed.

"That idiot is not worthy of being called a professor. He is not qualified to teach DADA. He's a narcissistic writer that glorifies his accomplishments for the sake of attention and fame...that is if his accomplishments are real. I doubt they are though; Lockhart is too stupid to have done any of those things in his books." Alex said.

He turned around.

"Let's go," he said.

"Oi! Where are you going?" Ron asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to search for the chamber," Alex said, not even looking back. "You don't expect that we'll find it just standing here, do you?"

Ron flushed in embarrassment as the two Gryffindors scrambled to catch up with Alex.

"Remind me why we have to deal with you?" Ron growled.

"Hermione considers me a... friend of sorts," Alex said. "Not to mention, she and my twin brother found this out. They would want us to work together, as much as I hate to say it. I do not like being around people very much."

"How do we know you're not leading us into a trap? You're awfully calm about this situation. You were too calm when you found out Harry was petrified too," Eric said, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"Perhaps it is my way of coping," Alex said. "I do care about my twin, but I don't really know how to express my emotions properly. The same goes for my twin."

"Geez, what happened to you guys to make you like that?" Eric asked.

"Let's just say...it has to do with our family," Alex said. "That's all you need to know."

'For now,' Alex finished his sentence silently.

They walked around for a few minutes.

"Hey look, there's a door," Eric said, pointing.

"If the entrance down here was unlocked by Lockhart's weird chant, maybe we should try it here," Ron said.

"Are you an idiot?" Alex asked.

"It worked before, didn't it?" Eric asked.

Alex rolled his eyes. Eric and Ron pointed their wands at the door.

"Uh Ron?" Eric asked, glancing over at his best friend. "Your wand isn't really in the best condition for this. Remember what happened when it backfired on you?"

"Oh yeah," Ron said, wincing. "Better let you do it mate."

Eric nodded. He looked at the circular entrance to the chamber.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered.

He shouted the same string of words Lockhart had used. Like before, Alex took the opportunity to whisper Parseltongue to the door. It unlocked, the stone snake slithering in a circle before disappearing.

"Wow, it really worked," Eric said. "That'll come in handy."

Alex didn't know who he wanted to kill more: Eric or Lockhart.

'No one will miss Lockhart,' his mind whispered.

Alex huffed inaudibly, agreeing with himself. Then he shook his head slightly.

"Damn it, Harry's rubbing off me," he muttered to himself.

"Did you say something?" Ron asked, looking at him.

"Just to myself," Alex said. "Let's go."

Alex took the lead once more, stepping into the Chamber of Secrets. Eric and Ron looked around in awe.

"Wow," Eric breathed.

"Ginny!" Ron exclaimed.

Ron raced forward towards the small figure lying on the ground at the end of the chamber. Eric and Alex followed him. Ron and Eric knelt down next to Ginny. Ron placed his head on her chest, listening for a pulse.

"There's a pulse! But it's so faint," Ron said, biting his lip in anxiety.

Eric grasped her hand.

"She's ice cold. We need to get her out of here and to the hospital wing," Eric said.

"You won't make it in time," a new voice sounded.

Eric, Ron, and Alex looked over to see Tom come out of the shadows.

"Who are you?" Eric asked.

"Right now? I am a mere memory," Tom said. "But when that girl dies, I will have a permanent body. By each passing second, her life force is being transferred to me. There is nothing you can do to save her."

Tom twirled a wand in his fingers.

"That's Ginny's wand," Ron said, glaring at the Horcrux.

"Well, she doesn't have any need for it anymore," Tom said. "She was very naïve. As soon as she found out I would listen to all her problems, she poured her heart and soul out onto the pages of the diary. Each ink written word gave me more and more strength, sapping it from her. She tried to throw me away, but then you came along...Eric Potter, the one prophesized to destroy the Dark Lord Voldemort."

"So what? You're not connected to him. Why does he matter to you?" Eric asked, narrowing his eyes.

Tom laughed coldly.

"Stupid little boy," he said. "Did the old coot tell you nothing?"

A cruel smirk curled upward on Tom's lips, his ice blue eyes glinting with a tinge of madness.

"Lord Voldemort...is my past, present, and future," Tom turned around and wrote his full name in the air, the letters burning and sizzling. He flicked the wand and the letters rearranged themselves.

_I am Lord Voldemort_

Eric and Ron paled in horror as they saw the truth of Tom.

"Now you see," Tom said, chuckling darkly. "I am the Dark Lord himself, a younger version of him stored perfectly in a diary."

"Y-you're-

"Yes," Tom said, cutting off Ron's stuttering. "I renamed myself and strived to be great. After all, you can't expect me to keep my filthy muggle father's name, right? The name of Lord Voldemort is now feared around the world...but that's just the beginning. My older self, the true Dark Lord, will soon make his move. And even you, the Chosen One, can't stop him."

Eric stood up and pulled out his wand.

"I may be destined to defeat Voldemort, but I'm not going to be doing it alone. I have Professor Dumbledore, my parents, godparents, my friends, everyone."

"Then I better get rid of you here and now," Tom said. "It would be less trouble for me in the future."

Tom turned around towards Salazar Slytherin's head.

_"Speak to me Salazar Slytherin, greatest of the Four Founders,_" he hissed loudly in Parseltongue. "_Kill Potter and his red-haired friend._"

The mouth of the statue opened and there was a loud sinister hissing. The basilisk slithered out. Alex hid a smirk.

"Now then, Potter, your move," Tom said.

The basilisk hissed, baring sharp fangs. Its lethal glowing yellow eyes glared down towards them. Eric and Ron immediately shielded their eyes.

"We need to hide!" Ron exclaimed.

"This way," Eric exclaimed, grabbing Ron's arms.

Eric dragged Ron with him as he fled into a side tunnel. The basilisk slithered forward after them. The two Gryffindors seemed to have forgotten about Alex for the moment.

"How convenient," Alex muttered.

Alex walked calmly over to where Ginny laid on the ground. The diary was beside her. Alex knelt down and picked up the diary. Reaching into his cloak, he pulled out an identical diary and placed it into the exact position. He tucked the real diary into his robes.

"What are you planning?" Tom asked quietly.

"It is all part of Harry's plan," Alex muttered just loud enough for Tom to hear him. "We let them believe the diary Horcrux is destroyed. They won't go looking for something that is already believed to have been destroyed after all."

"What if they analyze it?" Tom asked.

"My twin isn't a genius for nothing. He replicated the diary down to the very last detail. In the short amount of time he had it before leaving it where Potter could find it, he got everything he needed to make an identical replica. The dark magical signature, amount of ink, everything is down to exact detail to the original," Alex said.

"Your twin...he is perhaps too smart for his own good. It could be his very undoing," Tom said. "Or worse, it could be _my_ very undoing."

"Perhaps...but you don't have to worry about that for now," Alex said, smirking slightly. "Harry has confided in me that he doesn't plan on betraying the dark side... not yet, that is. There may come a day he decides to join the light side or form his own side."

"He is capable of both," Tom said. "How much does he know about...?"

Alex looked at the projection, his smirk widening. He knew exactly what Tom was going to ask.

"Everything."


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Just for clarification, Harry and Alex are biological twins. They are not Horcruxes. While the idea is intriguing, that isn't how this story is going to go.**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

_"Everything."_

Alex's words were met with silence. Tom stared at him for several long seconds before turning away.

"I see...he is truly a frightening force, your twin," the Horcrux murmured.

Tom looked back at him.

"You care about him a lot," he said.

"I could care less about him. He is useful for father's cause; that is why I haven't killed him yet. The second Harry becomes useless, I'll kill him myself," Alex said coldly.

A wry smile found its way onto Tom's face.

"You lie to yourself, Alexander Riddle," he said. "You hide behind a mask of cold indifference, pretending you don't care about anything. But that is true; you don't care about anything...except for one thing. You've attached yourself to your twin because he is the only one who will listen to you, can understand you...perhaps because he is even more unstable than you?"

"What do you mean by that?" Alex asked, frowning slightly.

"When I still possessed Ginny, I would observe every student. I noticed you always sat next to Harry every single meal. He barely ate anything except when you forced him to eat. He's borderline anorexic and has insomnia. In fact, he's not even human anymore. I can see it in his eyes. But you ground him, like he grounds you. You two are connected as twins, whether you accept it or not. Harry...he is extremely unstable. One day, he will break completely...and nobody will be able to stop it."

Tom pointed to Alex.

"And I have a feeling it will be because you will either be severely injured or killed," he concluded.

"It is true Harry is severely unstable. He has moments of psychotic rage and I'm the only one that get close enough to calm him down." Alex said. "But that is nothing more than keeping him out of trouble so he doesn't disturb father."

"My future self would've killed him the moment he saw Harry as too much to handle, but instead, you keep him grounded enough to prevent him getting killed. You're the only obstacle between Harry and death." Tom said. "That alone tells me you care a great deal about your twin. You are nothing without him. Don't bother denying it."

"Believe what you want; you're just a Horcrux," Alex said.

"I may be, but I am a version of your father, aren't I?" Tom asked. "I can easily tell my future self about what occurred here and he'll kill Harry."

Alex stiffened slightly, almost too small to be seen, but Tom saw it. He smirked.

"Don't worry," He said silkily. "I won't say anything for now. You should make yourself scarce now. If Potter and his friend come back and find you just standing here, it won't end well."

Alex scoffed, his hackles raising. Something about the Horcrux's words was off. He didn't trust it.

"If they ask, I will tell them I was hiding the entire time." Alex said as scrambling footsteps echoed closer and closer.

Without another word, Alex slipped into the shadows.

* * *

Eric finally defeated the basilisk using Godric Gryffindor's sword. He didn't come out unscathed though; one of the basilisk's fangs had impaled his arm when he slipped on the diary. The venom was working quickly. Ron helped him back over to Ginny.

"Bloody hell, the venom is working too fast," Eric muttered. "Ron, you have to take Ginny and get her to the hospital wing. Forget about me."

"No way, mate!" Ron exclaimed. "I can't leave you here to die!"

Eric crumbled to the ground, his legs having given out. He weakly grasped the basilisk fang from his arm and tore it out.

"Looks like you will die alongside the girl," Tom said, still twirling Ginny's wand in his hands.

"Not if I have anything to say about that," Alex said as he stepped out of the shadows.

A black object flashed through the air and landed in front of Eric.

"Stab it, Potter," Alex commanded, pointing at the book.

Eric's eyes drifted down to the diary. He reached forward and grabbed it.

"What are you doing?" Tom asked curiously.

"If I'm going to die, I'm going to take you with me," Eric grunted with a pained smile.

He lifted the fang up and pierced the diary with it, ink spilling out and staining his hands. Tom's eyes widened in something that looked to be a mix of shock and betrayal.

"What... NO!" He screeched and rushed forward only to be stopped by an unseen force.

Tom screamed as he was torn asunder in a burst of white light. Eric sighed in relief.

"How did you know that would work?" Eric asked Alex as his vision blurred.

"I didn't," Alex said emotionlessly. "That wound doesn't look so good."

"Yes, I don't feel so good either," Eric said, his head spinning. He laid down flat on the cold chamber floor.

Ron was starting to panic when they heard Fawkes's cry once more. The phoenix swooped down to land near Eric and leaned over the puncture wound. Fawkes let his tears fall onto his forearm. The wound hissed and sizzled before closing up, leaving no indication there had ever been a wound.

"Phoenix tears; they can heal anything," Ron said in awe.

Ginny stirred and her eyes opened.

"Ginny!" Eric exclaimed, sitting up.

"Ginny! You're okay!" Ron exclaimed, hugging his little sister.

"Ron? Eric? What happened?" Ginny asked, sitting up.

"You're safe now," Ron said, pulling back and smiling. "You're safe."

Suddenly Ginny inhaled sharply. She looked around frantically and scrambled for her wand before hastily pointing it at Alex.

"Don't, Ginny," Eric reached forward and slapped her arm down. "He helped save you."

"But he's a Slytherin," Ginny said with confusion.

"A Slytherin who saved you," Alex said dryly, not batting an eye at the girl's wish to hex him.

It was rather amusing. He doubted she knew anything more complex than the Tickling Charm. He calmly walked over and knelt down to pick up the diary, taking out the fang as he did so.

"We should take this to the headmaster," he said, turning it over in his hands. "He'll know what it is."

"How are we going to get out of here? We fell down a tunnel." Eric said.

Fawkes trilled in response and fluttered his tail. Alex raised an eyebrow.

"I think he's saying he can carry us out," Ron said. "Can he even lift us?"

"Phoenixes are known to be capable of carrying immense loads using their tails," Alex said. "That does include the weight of five people."

"Five?" Ginny asked.

"Indeed," Alex said. "We can't forget about our dear Professor Lockhart, right?"

"You're the one who kicked him down here in the first place!" Eric exclaimed.

"It would take too much trouble to explain why he is down here in the first place and why he didn't come back up with us," Alex said. "We'll collect Lockhart before letting Fawkes carry us back to the castle."

Soon, the five of them were flying out of the chamber and towards the castle.

* * *

It was the end of year feast. Alex sighed in boredom and irritation. While he had hoped Hogwarts would've shut down from all the attacks, it wouldn't do for the mission. He would have to bear with it a little while longer until Voldemort made his move.

Alex sighed again as he stabbed a potato and chewed on it.

Suddenly, a pair of pale hands covered his eyes. Alex froze, barely containing the impulse to hex the person with the darkest curse he knew.

"Guess who~" a familiar voice sang.

"Stop playing, Harry," Alex said.

The hands lowered and Harry sat down next to him.

"Killjoy," he pouted.

Harry leaned in to whisper into his twin's ear.

"So...did you get it?" he asked.

"Yes...your plan worked well," Alex muttered, breaking eye contact for a moment.

Any normal person wouldn't be able to hear his voice as low as it was along with the loud chattering in the hall. But Harry was no ordinary person and heard his words clearly.

Harry grinned, his pupils slitting briefly. His sickly green eyes seemed luminous with the dim candlelight that lit up the Great Hall.

"Good~" he purred. "My plans haven't failed before. Where is it now?"

"I will give it to you on the train," Alex muttered, eating an asparagus. "We'll have to find an empty compartment and seal it first though."

"Done and done," Harry said, smirking crazily.

Harry pulled away and poured himself a cup of tea.

* * *

They boarded the train after the feast ended. Alex and Harry found an empty compartment quickly and claimed it, sealing it off. They closed all the curtains, ensuring nobody could see in. A few minutes later, the train began moving out of the station.

Harry looked to Alex expectantly. Alex reached into his cloak and pulled out the diary. He held it out and Harry took it. He trailed his pale, long, slightly clawed fingers over the diary's surface in a gentle almost tender way.

"Now we have three," he said, smirking. "I will retrieve the diadem next year."

Harry frowned and looked down at the diary. Something felt off about the magic surrounding it. The dark, malevolent energy of the Horcrux was no longer present in it. He looked at Alex and narrowed his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"What happened, Alex? This isn't the diary," Harry said.

"It isn't? Then what is it?" Alex asked, looking at his twin steadily.

"You never did switch the diaries, did you," Harry stated. "Tell me the truth."

"...I did switch them at first...but then the Horcrux threatened to tell father about everything...about you," Alex said. "I merely got rid of something that could hinder your plan; that's all."

"Father will not be happy about this," Harry said.

"If I remember correctly, you told me the fake diary was an exact replica of the Horcrux. Father will never be able to tell the different unless you tell him," Alex shrugged. "If you're that worried about it, we can pour more dark magic into it."

Harry was silent, studying Alex with a piercing gaze. Finally, he turned away, cracking a smile.

"And here I thought you didn't like my plan," he said.

"I don't," Alex said. "But if you want it to work, we can't have anything disrupting it, not even a Horcrux."

Harry looked at the fake diary.

"This will fool father for the time being," he said. "We'll just have to keep quiet about the real one."

Alex grunted.

"What about the locket? You have plans for retrieving the diadem, but the locket is still in the grasp of the Order, even if they don't know it," Alex said. "But they'll find it sooner or later."

"Don't worry," Harry said. "We'll start on the plan to infiltrate the order next year. After all, we've just gained the trust of the golden trio, yes?"

"I suppose so," Alex said.

"Once we trap one of them, we trap the other two. We've trapped Granger. You've begun to gain Potter and Weasley's trust by helping them figure out where the chamber was and saving Ginny. All that and you still managed to get the diary as well as switching them two times without them noticing anything. I am impressed, Alex," Harry said.

"They made it too easy," Alex said. "When the basilisk attacked, they forgot about me and ran for it. It was easy for me to switch the diaries the first time, almost child's play."

"How ironic since we are still children~" Harry said, giggling.

"You should've stayed petrified." Alex said emotionlessly. "At least that way, I didn't have to hear your annoying voice."

Harry pouted.

"You're so mean," he exclaimed.

Alex rolled his eyes. Harry frowned.

"Although it is sad that the basilisk is dead now," he said. "Hmm...perhaps I'll go down sometime next year and collect ingredients from its body. It'll be useful for something that way."

Alex tched and stared out the window.

"Annoying as usual," he said.

Harry tilted his head and smiled cat-like, but he said nothing else.

Alex looked in the reflection of the window. Harry had pulled out a book. Hedwig was curled up in his lap sleeping. Harry was stroking her soft fur.

Alex smiled a ghost smile, feeling the tiniest bit of relief...something he immediately squashed.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

They arrived at the manor and immediately reported to the throne room. They bowed before their father.

"Rise and give me your report," Voldemort ordered.

"There was an attack on the school. The Chamber of Secrets," Alex said.

Only the twins noticed their father stiffen slightly at the mention of the chamber.

"I see," Voldemort said. "Alexander, leave; I wish to speak to Harrison alone."

"Yes, father," Alex said.

He bowed before leaving. Once the doors slammed shut, Voldemort turned cold crimson red eyes towards his youngest son.

"Well? Did you complete your mission successfully?" Voldemort demanded.

Harry hid a smirk as he pulled out the fake diary. He held it out.

"Of course, father," he said.

"Good," Voldemort said. "You're not a disappointment after all. The diadem?"

"I have plans to retrieve it next year, father," Harry said. "After the diadem, I will focus on getting the locket."

"Good," Voldemort said. "Do not fail me. Dismissed."

Harry tilted his head.

"What about the diary, father?"

"Leave it here," Voldemort said.

Harry placed the fake diary on the ground and turned to leave. He walked to the doors and made to open them when Voldemort's voice stopped him.

"Harrison."

Harry paused before turning around to look at his father.

"Is there anything else you wish to tell me?" Voldemort asked.

Harry blinked.

"What do you mean, father?" he asked.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes at him.

"...Nothing," he said finally. "You may go."

Harry turned and left the throne room, feeling Voldemort's piercing gaze on his back until he disappeared from sight.

Harry chuckled darkly as a crazy smile lit up on his face.

"Oh dear, father is so clever," he muttered to himself.

Harry giggled as he skipped down the halls to his hidden lab. He slipped in quickly and went into his bedroom. Alex was there, looking at the shelf of books. The elder twin looked at Harry.

"Why are you so happy?" Alex asked.

Harry hummed as he took off his cloak, leaving him in light black robes and his dark blue scarf. He grabbed silver colored clips from the dresser and clipped his bangs back.

"Father is catching on quickly," Harry said. "He knows I am hiding something from him."

"Hiding what? You are hiding many things from him," Alex said.

"It could be Snape's spying on him or you knowing about Horcruxes when you're not supposed to or the fake diary," Harry said. "Or perhaps it is the fact that I can brew Veritaserum but told him I couldn't. Or it could be that I can easily brew my precious new healing potion for his Death Eaters but choose not to because of...personal reasons."

Alex eyed him critically.

"Just be careful of what you do next," he said. "One wrong move and father will kill you himself."

"Oh I know that~" Harry hummed.

Harry looked at his twin.

"Was there something you needed?" he asked. "I know you're not here for a visit. You always have a purpose."

"I need some potions," Alex said, grabbing two books.

"Why do you ask? You usually just take them...unless the one you need is not in my collection out in the lab," Harry said. "Just what kind of potion do you need?"

"Polyjuice," Alex said as he flipped through a random book.

"How interesting; what need do you have for that potion?" Harry asked, humming.

"Let's just say I am rather...annoyed with a certain person and leave it at that," Alex said emotionlessly.

Harry was silent for a couple seconds before he chuckled in amusement.

"I see now," he said. "Are you going to kill him then?"

Alex closed the book and put it back. He looked at his younger twin.

"A simple death is too simple for that idiot," Alex said. "No, I'm going to break him instead. He'll only be a shell of himself when I'm done with him."

"If you use the torture curse too much in one area, the Aurors will come to investigate. It'll take too many to break him past the point of insanity," Harry said. "Might I suggest an...easier option?"

"Elaborate," Alex said.

"You'll still need the Polyjuice Potion for this," Harry said. "Kidnap him and bring him back here. You can torture him here all you want before dumping him in the streets. And don't worry about anyone suspecting you; there are plenty of Death Eaters that want to do the same thing to Lockhart."

"Getting him here will be difficult," Alex said.

"That's where I come in," Harry said. "I will give you a spell. You do a little bit of a knack for Transfiguration, but not like me. Transfigure him into something easy and stun him."

"Human Transfiguration is not the same as normal Transfiguration," Alex said.

"Indeed," Harry agreed. "For anyone not used to it, it will be very painful, especially if it is a full transformation. Partial transformation is painful too, but not as painful."

"Give me the spell," Alex said. "Transfiguring someone into an animal is easier than doing it to yourself."

"Fine," Harry said.

He scribbled something down on a torn piece of parchment and handed it to Alex.

"That's the spell. It'll turn the narcissist into a mouse," Harry said.

He went over to his bookshelf and waved his hand over, wandlessly and wordlessly shifting the books over to reveal a small space in the wall. He grabbed a vial and closed the space off again. He gave the vial to Alex.

"And there's your potion," Harry said.

Alex grunted in reply before leaving.

* * *

A small black bat flew through the night, blending in easily with the shadows. The bat flew lower and landed on a windowsill, looking inside. A familiar despised figure was sitting at a desk, writing something. A stack of books and letters stood beside the hunched over person, too focused to notice the bat staring at them.

The bat hopped down from the windowsill and morphed into a humanoid shape. Alex stretched his arms. He had been flying in his Animagus form for a while to find the right heart. Alex silently walked around the house, taking out two small vials. The first was the Polyjuice Potion, good for about an hour. The second vial contained hair strands Alex had acquired earlier from a random person. He put the hairs into the potion and downed it one go. Within seconds, he was disguised. He pulled up the hood of his slightly ragged black cloak as he knocked on the door. It was silent for a few seconds before he heard footsteps approaching. The door opened and Gilderoy Lockhart came out.

"Yes? May I help you?" he asked.

"I'm very sorry to disturb you, good sir," Alex said, making his voice raspy and his tone timid. "It's just I need a place to stay for the night. My parents kicked me out and I have nothing with me. I can't afford to stay at an inn. I saw your place and thought perhaps you would be generous enough?"

"Of course!" Lockhart exclaimed, smiling an overly bright sparkly grin. "Come in, young man!"

As Alex entered the house, he wordlessly and wandlessly set up a ward and silencing ward.

"Now then, what's your name?" Lockhart asked. "Surely, you've heard about me, right?"

"Sure," Alex said. "I've heard a little bit too much about you."

"I'm sorry?" Lockhart asked, blinking in surprise from his cold reply.

In a quick movement, Alex tripped Lockhart and pinned him down to the ground. Lockhart was too stunned to do anything. Alex pulled his wand out.

"How idiotic you are; it never ceases to amaze me," Alex said. "But then, you never could see past your own fame."

"How dare you?! Do you know who I am?!" Lockhart exclaimed, struggling to pull out his wand.

Alex knelt down and snatched the lighter colored wand away.

"You won't be needing this anymore," Alex said coldly.

Alex smiled sadistically.

"This next part, I'm really going to enjoy," he said.

He muttered the spell his twin had given him under his breath and flicked his wand. Lockhart's eyes widened in agony and he screamed as he began shifting. After a minute of painful and sickening cracking sounds and screams of pain, a light brown mouse stood where Lockhart laid. Alex stunned the mouse before it could run away and picked it up by the tail.

"I change my mind. I have a better plan for you, Lockhart," Alex said, smirking cruelly. "It'll take too much effort to cast the torture curse on you over and over again. It'd get boring in a short while. I think I'll have Harry rip your mind apart instead. And then I'll let you live instead of having the mercy of death."

Alex's smirk widened and he chuckled darkly.

"A perfect fate for a liar and fraud like you," he muttered as he tucked the unconscious mouse in his pocket.

Alex looked at Lockhart's wand and promptly snapped it in half. He dropped it to the ground and walked out of the house. With a snap of his fingers, he lit the house on fire.

"What a fun night," Alex said.

He shifted into his bat form and flew off into the night.

* * *

It took Alex only half an hour to reach the manor. He shifted to his human form and made his way to Harry's lab, eager to see Lockhart succumb to insanity. Abruptly, his Dark Mark burned. Alex winced before changing his course. He went into the throne room and bowed.

"You summoned me, father?" he stated.

"Yes," Voldemort said. "Rise, Alexander."

Alex stood up, noticing it was only him and Voldemort in the throne room. Voldemort waved his hand and the doors slammed shut.

"I have reason to believe Harrison is hiding something from me," Voldemort said.

Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you say that, father?"

"When he was giving me his report, I could sense he was holding back something, something important," Voldemort said.

"I do not know what Harry could be hiding," Alex said.

"If he is hiding something important from me, it could prove fatal to my plans and severely cripple my army," Voldemort leaned forward. "Did you tell him about that scar?"

"Of course not, father," Alex lied smoothly. "You told me to never tell him or he would get ideas of revenge."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes at his eldest child.

"If you are lying to me, Alexander, I will find out and you will die along with your twin," Voldemort said.

"I would not lie to you. I have no reason to," Alex said.

Lying came naturally to him, like breathing. The only who knew he was lying, was Harry himself, who lied constantly. The twins knew each other inside and out. There were rarely secrets between them, and if there were, they were never hidden for long.

Voldemort leaned back in his throne, satisfied with Alex's answer for now.

"Then, let's get to why you are here," Voldemort said. "If I find out Harrison is hiding something from me, I will extract it from him with any means necessary and then, he will die a slow painful death by my hands. That boy doesn't deserve a quick death."

"Father, Harry would never betray you," Alex said.

"If he were loyal, he wouldn't hiding something from me," Voldemort snapped.

"Let me talk to him, father; I will convince him to tell you whatever he is hiding."

"How strange; you've seemed to have mellowed out, Alexander," Voldemort said, raising an eyebrow. "You hate your brother just as much as I do. Why do you defend him now?"

"I simply believe that Harry is still of use," Alex said. "He is a genius in every subject and he is a better Potions maker than Snape. His skills are invaluable right now."

"Hmm...I suppose you give a fair point," Voldemort said. "I will allow Harrison one more chance. If he should do anything to make me think he is a traitor, I'll have you kill him yourself."

"That is acceptable, father," Alex said. "Thank you for your kindness."

"Dismissed."

Alex bowed before leaving the throne room. He immediately made his way to the hidden lab. He walked in. Harry was bottling up a finished potion.

"What took you so long? I thought you'd be back sooner," Harry said, not even looking up from his work.

"Father wanted to talk to me," Alex said.

"About what?"

"You," Alex said.

Harry paused before putting down the ladle and setting the vial on the counter. He looked up, sickly green meeting icy blue.

"Care to explain?" Harry asked.

"He knows you are hiding something from him. You have one more chance," Alex said. "Mess up again and he'll have you killed."

Harry picked up the ladle again and filled another vial.

"There are many things I am keeping from father," he said, unconcerned about the threat.

"But he doesn't know that," Alex said.

"No he doesn't," Harry agreed. "The only one who does know is you, and only because I could never keep a secret from you."

Harry finished bottling the last of the potion. He flicked a finger and the vials flew to their place on the shelves. Alex watched him clean up the potions equipment before speaking up again.

"Tell him something."

Harry looked at him.

"Tell him what exactly? Snape being a spy? About you knowing about Horcruxes? That I know where pretty much every single one of his Horcruxes are? About the Veritaserum? My healing potion? Be more specific, Alex," Harry said.

"Father knows it is something big," Alex said. "I think it is time we've told father about Snape."

Harry's answer came immediately.

"I refuse."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

_"I refuse."_

Alex's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What?" he hissed.

"I refuse," Harry repeated, his tone steady and calm. "Father would kill off Snape as soon as we tell him. It would jeopardize our plan to get the locket Horcrux from the Order's headquarters. Our plan is going well and you want to ruin it?"

"It is your plan," Alex said. "At least tell father you believe there is a spy among his followers. You don't even have to mention Snape's name!"

"If I tell him that, he'll want to know a name or he'll just think I'm lying to him and kill me on the spot," Harry argued back. "I'll have no choice but to give him a name then!"

Alex let out an angry sound and his hand flew forward, backhanding Harry in the face. Harry stumbled back. A kick to the stomach sent him crashing into the wall. Harry groaned, collapsing to the ground. He looked to see his twin pointing his wand at him. Harry's eyes widened slightly as he recognized the enraged look in Alex's eyes. It was extremely rare that the elder twin got truly angry, but when he did, he was violent.

"Crucio," Alex hissed, his icy blue eyes alit with a psychotic rage.

Harry barely had time to take a breath before agony slashed through his body. Harry convulsed to the ground, trying not to scream from the excruciating pain.

After what seemed like forever, Alex lowered his wand and stormed out of the lab. Harry laid on the ground, trembling. He forced himself to slow his breathing before trying to sit up. He grabbed the edge of the table in an attempt to stand up next. His legs gave out and he hit his head on the edge of the table. He landed on the floor again. He could feel wetness on his forehead where it had hit the table. His vision went blurry and then everything was dark.

* * *

Harry slowly woke up. His eyelids felt heavy. He was surrounded by warmth and whatever he was lying on felt soft and comfortable.

'Funny, I don't remember the floor being this comfortable,' was Harry's first thought.

Harry forced his eyes open to see the ceiling of his bedroom. He blinked and looked around. He was in his bedroom. Someone had carried him to the bedroom and placed him on the bed. Harry sat up slowly, wincing in pain from the after effects of the curse.

The door opened and Alex came in. He paused when he saw Harry sitting up.

"You're awake," Alex said.

"Yeah," Harry said, his voice raspy.

Harry coughed slightly. Alex came closer and handed him a glass of water that had been on the bedside table. Harry drank the entire glass thankfully. The cool liquid soothed his raspy throat.

"Geez, how long did you curse me for?" Harry grumbled.

"I don't know," Alex said.

"You've never done it before," Harry mumbled, looking at the empty glass in his hands.

"You've never been so stupid before," Alex said calmly.

Harry huffed humorlessly.

"Look at you; emotionless as ever," he said.

Alex took the glass and set it on the table.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

Harry didn't acknowledge it.

"I just got frustrated and I took it out on you. I never intended to curse you," Alex said.

"Whatever. It isn't like it's the first time I've been cursed anyways," Harry muttered, reaching his hand up to his neck.

He blinked when he couldn't feel his scarf.

"I took it off so it wouldn't choke you," Alex said. "Here."

A familiar warmth surrounded Harry's neck. Alex wrapped the dark blue scarf around a few times before adjusting it.

"Why are you going to all this trouble? You don't even care about me," Harry said.

"As I said before, you're the only one I can tolerate for long periods of time," Alex said. "It'd be a shame if you died."

Alex sat down on the bed, crossing his arms.

"You still need to tell father about-

"I said no," Harry cut him off. "I'm not telling father about Snape."

"How about you let me finish first?" Alex's eye twitched in annoyance. "If you're not going to tell him about Snape, tell him something else. It'll get him off your back."

"And what do you suggest I tell him?" Harry asked. "There are many things I am keeping from father. Only you know everything, Alex."

"Tell him that I know about the Horcruxes," Alex said.

"That's the problem, Alex. Father doesn't know that I know he has seven Horcruxes. He doesn't know that I know where every single one of them is located and what they are. He's only told me about the diary and the diadem. If he finds out I know about the other five, that'll give him another reason to kill me," Harry said.

"The diadem and diary are enough," Alex said. "Father knows your 'secret' mission can't stay hidden from me very long. He shouldn't be too surprised, although if he asks, tell him I found out in second year, not at the very beginning of our first year. If he finds out I've known since the beginning, he'll curse you for not telling him earlier."

"He'll curse me anyways," Harry said.

"But not as badly," Alex said. "Tell him I helped you get the diary. That's all you need to tell him to get him off your back."

"Fine," Harry said.

"Good," Alex said. "When you fully recover, I have a little surprise for you. Until then, get some more rest."

Harry chuckled as he laid back down.

"I knew you cared about me," he muttered.

Alex glared at him halfheartedly before leaving the room.

* * *

The next day, Harry was back to normal. He had taken some of his powerful healing potion and the side effects of uncontrollable shaking and nerve damage went away instantly.

He was making more potions when Alex came into the lab carrying a small cage.

"What's with the cage?" Harry asked.

Alex set the cage on the table. Harry peered in to see a light brown mouse. The mouse was squeaking frantically and clawing at the cage almost hysterically. Harry raised an eyebrow at his twin.

"What, you don't remember like two days ago when we came up with what we were going to do with Lockhart?" Alex asked.

Harry sighed.

"That's him, isn't it?" he stated.

"Yes," Alex said.

"I thought you were going to torture and then kill him," Harry said. "Why haven't you done anything yet?"

"I changed my mind. I figured you would want a go at him," Alex said.

Alex made a gesture to the cage.

"Surprise."

"So instead of torturing him into insanity, you want me to rip apart his mind," Harry deduced quickly.

"You catch on quick," Alex said. "It is much quicker than casting the torture curse over and over again. After that, instead of killing him, I was thinking about letting him to wander around, completely broken and unable to function. It'd be...amusing to watch."

A smirk curled upwards on Harry's lips. His sickly green eyes lit up with sadistic glee.

"I like the way you think, Alex," he almost purred. "However, it will have to wait until after this potion is done."

"How much longer?" Alex asked.

"About an hour," Harry said.

Alex settled into a chair, wordlessly summoning a book and opening it.

"I can wait that long," he said.

Lockhart the mouse squeaked louder. The scratching sounds were more frequent now as the mouse tried to escape.

"My, my, you're rather annoying, little mouse," Harry said. "Perhaps I should let Hedwig play with you a little~"

As if summoned, the black kitten hopped onto the table, golden eyes fixed on the light brown mouse. The mouse squealed in terror and his attempts to escape increased. Hedwig looked at Harry. Harry chuckled darkly.

"Alex, open the door," he said. "I'm going to let Hedwig play with the rodent."

Alex snapped his fingers and the lab door opened. Harry wandlessly flicked his finger at the cage. The mouse sprang out and raced out of the door. Hedwig growled as she pounced after the mouse.

"You better hope Nagini doesn't get to Lockhart first," Alex muttered.

"Hedwig wouldn't let that happen," Harry said. "She knows how...upset I would get."

"If you say so," Alex said, not even looking up from his book.

The next hour was silent with the only sounds being the occasional turning of a page and the sounds of a potion brewing.

Harry was bottling up the potion soon enough. He finished up and with a flick of his hand, the vials went to their rightful place on the shelf.

"Well, that's done," Harry said cheerfully. "Time to get on with the torture~"

Harry poked his head out of the lab and softly called for Hedwig. Five minutes later, Hedwig pranced back into the lab, carrying Lockhart the mouse by the tail. She looked very smug as the mouse frantically tried to get away, squeaking loudly as he saw the twins. Harry grabbed the mouse by the tail and held him up to his face.

"Why hello, Lockhart~" Harry purred. "How do you do? Long time no see~"

Harry took out his wand.

"Now stay still; I want this to be as painless as possible. Transfiguring you back into a human is not as easy as turning you into an animal," Harry said, smirking cruelly.

The mouse stiffened at his words. Harry flicked his wand at the mouse and dropped him. The mouse grew until Lockhart laid on the floor. He was shaking, looking around frantically. He scrambled to his feet and lunged at the door. Alex flicked his hand, locking the door just as Lockhart grabbed the handle.

Alex gently placed the book he was reading on the table.

"No point in trying to escape, Lockhart," Alex said emotionlessly. "You won't escape from us."

Lockhart froze at his voice. He turned and his eyes widened in horror and recognition.

"Alex? Harry?" he gasped. "W-what are you doing?!"

"Isn't it obvious? We don't like you very much, so we decided to...break you, to put it simply," Harry said, giggling slightly.

"Break me?" Lockhart asked. "You two are children, not even teenagers yet."

"Take a guess where you are," Harry said.

Lockhart frowned.

"Oh all right, we'll take pity on your worthless brain and give you a little hint," Harry said, highly amused. "Alex, show him your wrist."

"That's a dead giveaway," Alex muttered.

Still, he rolled up his left sleeve and lifted his arm up, revealing the Dark Mark. Lockhart took one look at it and paled drastically. He stumbled back before renewing his attempts to escape.

"Were you not listening, Lockhart? There's no escaping, especially from us," Alex said.

"W-why are you doing us? What did I ever do to you?!" Lockhart exclaimed, panicking.

"Oh, you did nothing...you're just annoying and I don't like you," Alex said.

"You can't just kidnap people for that reason!" Lockhart exclaimed.

"I am a Death Eater. Do I really need a reason?" Alex deadpanned.

Lockhart crumbled to his knees.

"What are you going to do to me?" he asked, shaking slightly.

"Well, I was going to Crucio you a bunch of times until you went insane...but instead, I'm going to let my dear twin rip apart your mind. Either way, you'll plummet into insanity with no way back," Alex said, shrugging nonchalantly.

Alex looked at his twin.

"How do you want him?"

"Just bind him," Harry said. "Can't have him fighting too much. It'd be distracting."

Alex flicked his wand at Lockhart and the man was wrapped tightly in ropes, tight enough to cut off circulation.

"Perfect~" Harry hummed.

Harry walked forward and grabbed Lockhart's hair, yanking his head back roughly. He dove into Lockhart's mind before Lockhart could even think to fight back, breaking through all the barriers with ease. Lockhart was struggling to breathe and his trembling had increased. Harry got to the memories quickly enough and one by one, he shattered them as easily as glass. He tore all the memories apart and completely ripped apart Lockhart's ability to think.

By each thing he destroyed and ripped to pieces, Lockhart cried out in pain. It took ten minutes to completely rip everything apart. Finally, Harry released Lockhart and straightened.

"What do you think?" Harry asked, looking down at his handiwork.

Lockhart was collapsed on the ground, convulsing slightly. His eyes were dull and lifeless. Drool pooled out his mouth.

"I always found your Legilimency skills fascinating to watch," Alex said with a tiny grin. "It never gets old."

"So what now?" Harry asked, looking at his twin.

"Now, we leave him where the Order can find him. See what they think about this even more pathetic waste of space," Alex said. "Perhaps they'll grant the mercy of death to him."

Harry snorted.

"They're too light; they'd never kill him. Maybe the old man will kill him, but the others? They couldn't hurt a fly," he said.

Alex grabbed Lockhart by the collar.

"I'll take care of him now," he said. "In the meantime, you tell father about the Horcruxes and that I know about them. The sooner he knows, the sooner we can get on with the plan."

"Will do~" Harry sighed, aborting his move to return to his potions.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

"Why have you requested an audience with me, Harrison?" Voldemort asked.

"Father, it has come to my attention that you don't trust me," Harry said. "You think I am keeping something from you."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes.

"Indeed," he said slowly.

"It is true I have been keeping something rather important from you," Harry said. "I really did not think it was that important since it was inevitable."

Harry had to keep himself from smirking. It was amusing to him that the Dark Lord didn't even suspect him having more secrets. He had a variety of things to tell his father after all.

"Alex knows about Horcruxes," Harry said. "He's known since last year."

"He's known about your secret mission for the past year and you never thought to enlighten me?" Voldemort asked, his crimson eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Father, you know how Alex and I are when it comes to secrets. I can't keep anything from him for very long. It was inevitable that he found out eventually. He helped me get the diary safely," Harry said.

"I see," Voldemort said. "And how exactly did he help you?"

"Well, you see, we decided to have a little fun first since the diary Horcrux wanted to," Harry said. "We set the basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets loose in the castle. When Potter was off fighting it, Alex switched the real diary with an identical replica I made."

"And where were you during all this?" Voldemort asked.

"I was petrified. It was all part of my plan to gain the golden trio's trust. In order to keep our cover hidden, I thought it would be better if the old man saw us coming towards the light." Harry said.

Voldemort hummed thoughtfully.

"Very well," he said. "I will accept your explanation. However..."

The curse hit Harry and he crumbled to the ground. He hadn't been prepared for the excruciating pain of the torture curse and he couldn't help the scream that escaped him.

It was finally lifted.

"Don't keep something like that from me again. You have one more chance, Harrison," Voldemort said. "Make one more mistake and I will dispose of you. Get out of my sight."

Harry dragged himself to his feet and left the throne room as quickly as he could.

"Damn him," Harry muttered.

He whispered a Notice-Me-Not charm to avoid any Death Eaters. He made his way to his lab and sank down against the wall. His entire body was trembling slightly from the side effects of the torture curse. He closed his eyes and shivered, suddenly feeling cold. Harry opened his eyes and eyed the warded shelf that held his healing potions. He felt too weak to even lift up an arm, let alone stand up.

There was a soft meow as Hedwig came over to him, nudging his hand with her head. Harry looked at the small kitten. He mustered the strength to lift his arm up so Hedwig could slip under. Hedwig licked his hand and purred soothingly.

"Thanks girl," Harry muttered.

Hedwig mewed again and tilted her head at him, as if asking what happened to him. Harry grit his teeth, his pupils slitting angrily. Hedwig shifted uncomfortably. She could feel Harry's magic leaking out. His magic always had a sinister dark feel to it unless he was disguising it. It made anyone uncomfortable when he wasn't angry, but when Harry was angry, it was terrifying since Harry usually went into a psychotic rage and it showed in his magical aura.

"That bastard, who does he think he is?" Harry growled.

His fangs grew out slightly and his nails sharpened into needle sharp claws. His sickly green eyes glowed with insanity through his dark fringe.

"I'll kill him...I'll kill him!"

Harry broke out in a cackle. Hedwig scrambled away from him, the poor thing terrified. Harry didn't even notice. He eventually calmed down.

"You done laughing?" Alex's voice broke through his unstable thoughts.

Harry's head snapped up. Alex stood over him, holding a shaking and terrified Hedwig in his arms.

"Alex...?" Harry asked.

"You look like a mess. What happened?" Alex asked.

Harry lifted a hand to his face, his naturally cool skin cooling his forehead. In the back of his mind, he registered that all the side effects had gone away in his fit of insanity.

"How long were you there?" Harry asked quietly.

"I came in while you were still laughing." Alex said. "Hedwig was cowering the corner. You scared her badly."

Harry dropped his hand. He gestured for Alex to give him the tiny kitten. Alex knelt down and held out Hedwig. Hedwig panicked and clung onto Alex's arm tightly. Harry pried her off and held her closely. The kitten was trembling violently and she flinched in terror as Harry gently stroked her.

"There, there, Hedwig, I'm sorry for scaring you," Harry muttered.

Gradually, Hedwig stopped shaking and fell asleep in Harry's arms. Harry sighed.

"What happened?" Alex asked again.

"I told father about you knowing about the Horcruxes. He cursed me," Harry said.

Something flashed across Alex's eyes, but it was gone just as fast as it had appeared.

"I see," Alex said. "You look a little flushed."

"Probably from me losing control a little," Harry said.

Alex went over to the potions shelf and grabbed one of the vibrant red healing potions.

"Open your mouth," the elder twin said as he came back over.

Harry opened his mouth and Alex dropped one drop into his mouth. It healed Harry instantly in a wave of warmth. Alex placed the potion back on the shelf as Harry stood up, Hedwig still in his arms.

"I didn't mean to lose control like that," Harry muttered.

"I understand your anger." Alex said.

Alex looked at him.

"And I didn't come in when you were still laughing. I was already in here," he said.

Harry stiffened.

"I heard everything," Alex said.

"...What now?" Harry asked in a low voice.

"Nothing," Alex said. "You were suffering from the side effects of the torture curse and said those things. That's what everyone else will know if we have to tell them. The truth will stay in this room."

"Why?"

"Why what?" Alex asked, glancing at him.

"Why would you go this far for me?" Harry asked. "You always said you would kill me if I showed a sign of betrayal."

"Because if anyone else heard you, they would report you to father. Father would kill you himself. And as I said many times before, I'm the only one who can kill you," Alex said, his icy blue eyes piercing into the younger twin. "And it is not your time to die just yet."

Harry huffed.

"Do what you want," he said. "I won't slip up again."

"I know you won't," Alex said. "Because you can't afford to anymore, Harry."

"Why are you here anyways?" Harry asked, slightly annoyed now.

"I just came back from dumping Lockhart somewhere where the Order can find him," Alex said, idly flipping through a book from Harry's bookshelf.

A smirk curled onto Harry's lips.

"I can't wait for them to see him. It'll be very amusing next year. No doubt they'll be talking about what happened to him," Harry said.

He giggled slightly.

* * *

Sirius burst into the room. The other members of the Order looked up in surprise at his abrupt entrance.

"Sirius, you're back!" James exclaimed.

"Guys, I did it! I got Remus to come back!" Sirius exclaimed.

"You don't have to yell," Remus's voice came from behind Sirius.

Remus came into the room. Lily smiled and stood up to hug him.

"I'm glad to see you again, Remus," Lily said. "How was America?"

"Different," Remus said, smiling back. "I met some good people and it was quite the different environment there, but I will admit: I missed home. How's Eric?"

"Eric is fine. He's doing well in school," Lily said. "Now, how about you come sit down?"

Remus let his friend pull him over to the chair. James conjured a chair. Remus sat down while Sirius conjured a chair for himself, sitting on the other side of Remus.

"Good to see you again, buddy," James said, smiling.

"Likewise, James," Remus said. "What happened while I was gone?"

"Well-

James was cut off when Dumbledore came into the room. Madame Pomphrey and Snape followed him.

"Albus?" Molly asked.

"Ah Remus, I'm glad to see you back," Dumbledore said. "I wish you came back in a happier time, but alas, things never go as planned. "

"How is he?" Molly asked worryingly.

"Not good," Dumbledore said.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked.

Dumbledore looked at Sirius and Remus.

"A few days ago, Gilderoy Lockhart went missing. His house had been burned down. We found him earlier today. Poppy, Severus, and I checked him over and..."

"Albus, tell us what happened," Lily said.

"He isn't hurt...physically," Snape said. "Mentally...to put it lightly, he can never function normally ever again."

"That terrible? What exactly happened? Cruciatus Curse?" James asked.

"It is similar, but not quite," Dumbledore said. "He's gone insane, but what we saw, the Cruciatus Curse is not capable of it. Gilderoy's mind was literally ripped apart. All his mental barriers were completely destroyed and with very little to no effort."

"Are you saying someone did this to Lockhart using Legilimency?" Molly exclaimed in horror.

"I believe that is the case," Dumbledore said. "This person's skills in Legilimency, they are beyond any that I've seen. It exceeds my own skill. Gilderoy's mental barriers are not as strong as some other witches and wizards, but they are still powerful enough to keep anyone out of his mind. This person tore through his mind like the mental barriers weren't even there. They ripped all his memories to shreds, destroyed his ability to think and function, everything."

"Whoever did this, it is obvious they dislike Lockhart, but they left Lockhart alive on purpose. After destroying the very essence of who he was, they probably thought killing him was too generous. So they left Lockhart alive to give us the painful choice of either letting him live or killing him to end his suffering," Snape said.

"You sound like you know the people who did this to Lockhart personally," Arthur said.

"I don't know who exactly, but this was most likely done by a Death Eater," Snape said.

"From the information you've gathered, I've concluded there is no Death Eater that is capable of doing this. They would more likely use the Cruciatus Curse," Dumbledore said.

"What about those two boys?" James asked.

"What boys?" Remus asked, looking around in confusion.

"Voldemort has two boys that follow him." Dumbledore said. "We don't know their exact age, but they are the youngest among Voldemort's followers. One of them is a Death Eater. The other is a potions master on par with Severus, perhaps even greater. They are brothers."

"There's no way two children could do something like to Lockhart," Molly exclaimed. "They shouldn't even be near You-Know-Who!"

"As I've said many times before, Molly, those two 'children' know exactly what they're doing. They are willingly following the Dark Lord and nothing we say or do will change their minds," Snape said.

"Severus, you know about these two boys. You said you won't say too much about them because they would know if you tell. But can you at least tell us if they are capable of doing what happened to Gilderoy?" Dumbledore asked.

Snape was tense.

"I do not know too much about their Legilimency abilities," he said finally. "I know they have Legilimency skills, but I don't know how advanced they are. One of them, the potions maker, may be more skilled because you need great focus to make potions, and with that healing potion he made, his Occlumency skills must be incredibly advanced for his age."

"I see," Dumbledore said. "How old would you say they are?"

"Very young," Snape said. "It is possible they are about the age of the students at Hogwarts."

"So young," Dumbledore said. "Such a sad fate for children."

He shook his head in sorrow. Then he looked at Remus.

"Remus, I am sorry to ask this of you, but would you be willing to come to Hogwarts to teach?" he asked.

"Me? Teach students? Are you insane?!" Remus exclaimed. "Have you forgotten what I am? No one in their right mind would let me near their children! I'm a monster!"

"You're not a monster, Remus," James said. "You have Sirius and I to help you."

"I can have Severus brew the Wolfsbane Potion for you every month," Dumbledore said. "It'll be perfectly safe for you to be around the students, Remus. Please, accept the job. We need to protect the school. If what Severus says about those two boys are true, it is possible Voldemort could send them to Hogwarts as spies. The longer those two boys spend at Hogwarts, the more danger the students will be in."

Remus bit his lip.

"Please, Remus," Lily said, taking her friend's hand. "We'll all be there for you when you need it."

Remus sighed.

"Fine," he said finally. "I'll take a teaching position. What exactly would I be teaching?"

"DADA," Dumbledore said. "You'll be a joint professor with Sirius."

Remus nodded.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Alex dragged Harry out of the bookstore.

"Oh come on!" Harry complained, nearly dropping his purchases.

"I said three books! Not ten!" Alex growled.

"I couldn't decide, so I got all of them," Harry pouted.

"Shut up!" Alex snapped. "Remind me why I deal with you again!"

"Uh, because you care about me?" Harry asked, tilting his head innocently.

"Like hell!" Alex snarled.

"Er, are we interrupting something?" Hermione's voice cut in.

The twins looked over to see the golden trio standing there.

"Oh you didn't interrupt anything, Hermione~" Harry exclaimed cheerfully. "My dear brother is just a little nervous for the new year. He's been on edge recently."

"I have not been on the edge!" Alex hissed.

Alex took a deep breath to calm himself down. Harry hummed happily as he picked up Hedwig, who was following at his heels. Hedwig had grown into a beautiful sleek young cat over the summer. She was very attached to Harry and absolutely loved to follow him wherever he went.

"Wow, Hedwig is so beautiful now," Hermione said, smiling at the black cat.

Harry chuckled as he rested his hand on Hedwig's pelt. The cat purred in content.

"Yes indeed," Harry said. "I'm usually not very good with animals, but I seem to be doing well with Hedwig."

"Big surprise," Alex muttered.

"Did you say something, Alex?" Harry asked.

Even though he had heard Alex clearly, Harry wanted to poke fun at his twin. It was fun to rile up Alex since he couldn't do anything in front of the trio. Alex knew this and looked away, grumbling. Harry smirked smugly.

"Harry, aren't you hot with that scarf on?" Hermione asked, frowning in concern.

"Not at all," Harry said. "I get cold easily."

"Speaking of, I don't think we've ever seen you without that scarf," Eric said.

"That's not true," Hermione said. "It was dark gray in first year. Now it's dark blue."

"It was a gift from Alex," Harry said. "He gave me Hedwig too."

"Really?" Ron asked, glancing at the elder twin. "He doesn't seem like the type to give out presents though."

"And why is that?" Alex asked in a defensive tone.

His icy blue eyes glared into Ron intensely. Ron took a step back, raising his hands in surrender.

"I didn't mean that in a bad way, I swear!" he exclaimed.

"Just stop talking," Eric said, grimacing. "You'll only make it worse. Change the topic!"

"How was your summer?" Ron exclaimed.

"It was fine," Alex said, still glaring.

"There you are!" a new voice exclaimed.

Lily, James, Sirius, and another man rushed through the crowd and caught up to them.

"We were looking for you three," Lily exclaimed.

"Who are your friends?" James asked, glancing at the twins.

"Oh, this is Alex and Harry Evans," Hermione said.

"Twins?" James asked.

"Yeah," Eric said. "They're third years like us."

"Which one of you is Harry and which one is Alex?" Lily asked, frowning slightly. "I can't tell you two apart."

"I'm Harry," Harry said, raising his hand. "This is Alex."

"Wow, you two are practically identical," James exclaimed. "Like the Weasley twins!"

"We look identical, but we can easily be told apart," Alex said calmly. "Harry has green eyes. I have blue eyes. We are also in different houses."

"Which houses?" Lily asked.

"Harry is in Ravenclaw. I am in Slytherin," Alex said.

"Slytherin?" James asked, blinking.

"I assure you, I am not a dark wizard," Alex said in a deadpanned voice with the air of someone who'd said that phrase a thousand times.

Harry had to stifle a giggle because of the irony of that statement.

"We didn't mean any offense!" Lily exclaimed. "James, apologize!"

James blushed in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I hope I didn't offend you."

"Apology accepted," Alex said. "I merely have the ambition to do well in school. That is why I am in Slytherin. Harry is in Ravenclaw because although he has ambitions, his brain exceeds that."

"Besides, Alex always sits at the Ravenclaw table with Harry." Ron said.

"I see no point in sitting with those idiots in Slytherin," Alex said.

Alex looked at the fourth man.

"Who are you?" he asked politely.

"I'm Remus Lupin," the man said, smiling kindly. "I'll be a professor at Hogwarts this coming year."

"For which subject?" Harry asked, tilting his head.

"He'll be teaching DADA with me," Sirius said, draping an arm around Remus's shoulders.

"It is nice to meet you, professor," Alex said, nodding his head. "I look forward to the first DADA class."

"Do so, because it'll be a blast!" Sirius exclaimed. "The kids will love it."

"We should be going now," Alex said. "If we don't go soon, Harry will go back to the bookstore to get more books."

"No I won't!" Harry protested.

Alex rolled his eyes.

"Sometimes I feel like I know you better than you know yourself," he said. "If it weren't for me, you'd live in a bookstore."

Harry pouted as Alex dragged him away.

"An odd pair of brothers; they share the same features, yet they're exact opposites," Lily said.

"Remus, you all right?" Sirius asked.

"There's just something about those two. It makes my wolf a little uneasy," Remus said.

"Maybe you're just nervous about teaching," James suggested.

"That's probably it," Remus agreed. "I'm probably just imagining things."

"Mum, dad, can we go get some ice cream?" Eric asked.

"Sure, sweetie," Lily said. "We still need to get books, so we'll meet you there. Got enough money?"

"Yeah," Eric said. "We'll see you there."

The trio ran to the ice cream parlor as Lily, James, and Sirius walked into the bookstore. Remus was staring out into the crowd. He couldn't see the twins but he knew they were out there somewhere.

They made him feel so uneasy. Remus bit his lip as the feeling increased.

"Remus!" James's voice broke through his thoughts.

Remus looked at his friend.

"Come on," James said. "Didn't you want some books too?"

"Y-yeah!" Remus exclaimed.

James frowned in concern.

"You okay?" he asked. "You look a little pale."

"I'm fine," Remus said. "I was just...thinking."

"About what?"

"It's nothing," Remus said, walking towards the bookstore. "I think I'm just nervous about teaching."

James smiled in understanding.

"You'll be great," he said. "The kids will love you."

As Remus walked into the bookstore behind James, his mind wandered back to the twins. His wolf felt scared of them, particularly the green-eyed twin. There was something...off about him.

Remus shook his head.

"I'm imagining things." he muttered to himself. "Nothing's wrong with those two kids. I'm just nervous about teaching."

But these words didn't reassure him...they only served to make him even more nervous.

He had a bad feeling about this year.

* * *

It was the first week after school started now. Harry was walked through the halls, humming softly. Soft footsteps followed him as Hedwig glanced around, golden eyes glowing in the dark. It was midnight, the castle pitch black. But Harry didn't need any light to see due to his enhanced eyesight. Hedwig could see perfectly fine in the dark as well.

Hedwig meowed softly in the phrase of a question.

"No big reason, little one," Harry muttered. "I couldn't sleep; I thought taking a walk would clear my mind a little. That's all really."

Hedwig meowed again, this time in a scolding tone. Harry chuckled.

"Don't scold me," he muttered. "It isn't my fault I'm turning into an insomniac."

Suddenly, he heard soft voices around the corner. Harry immediately hid, his enhanced hearing picking up words as he focused. Hedwig was silent too.

"Albus, are you sure it is safe?" he heard McGonagall whisper.

"Minerva, there is nothing to worry about," Dumbledore replied quietly. "He'll take the potion every month. No student will be harmed. I would not put this castle and its occupants in danger intentionally. Remus is perfectly safe."

"He's a werewolf, Albus!" McGonagall hissed. "What if he forgets to take the potion?!"

"That won't happen. Remus is a responsible young man. He won't forget. Severus will take the potion to him every month before the full moon," Dumbledore whispered.

"I hope you are right, Albus. I trust your judgement, but this may be going too far!" McGonagall whisper-exclaimed.

"Nothing will happen. I promise you that, Minerva," Dumbledore said. "Now then, it is getting late. I believe your night shift is over. How about you go get some rest?"

"Very well," McGonagall said quietly. "What about you?"

"I will stay up a little while longer. I find a walk through the castle at night helps clear the mind," Dumbledore said. "Goodnight, Minerva."

"Goodnight, Albus," McGonagall replied rather stiffly as she walked away.

Dumbledore watched her disappear before walking down the corridor. When he was out of hearing range, Harry chuckled. They should have known better than to discuss such things in a public corridor. Who knows who might be listening? He bent down and picked up Hedwig. Hedwig settled in his arms, purring softly.

"How interesting...this year will be fun~"


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Alex scowled as the class waited for Sirius and Remus to come in.

"Cheer up, Alex," Hermione said. "Professor Black is back, so classes will be fun again."

"Yeah, at least it isn't Lockhart," Ron said. "We didn't learn anything last year."

"Hey, about Lockhart, did you guys hear about what happened?" Eric asked.

"Oh that," Ron said, wincing. "I didn't like the bloke, but even he didn't deserve that kind of fate."

"What happened?" Alex asked, acting confused.

"You didn't read about it?" Hermione asked in a hushed voice. "Shortly after school got out last year, Lockhart was kidnapped in the night. His house was burned to the ground. A few days later, he was found completely broken. The newspapers are saying it was a Death Eater attack. They tortured him into insanity."

"The headmaster was the one who examined him, but they're obviously keeping something hidden," Ron said.

"Yeah, something doesn't seem quite right about the story," Eric said. "My parents don't talk about it."

The door opened and the two DADA professors came into the classroom.

"All right everyone, listen up," Sirius said.

Everyone quieted down.

"Yes, I am back from America," Sirius said. "This is my best buddy, Remus Lupin. He'll be helping me teach this class."

"Today, we'll be studying the boggart. Does anyone know anything about boggarts?" Remus asked.

Hermione's hand shot up.

"Yes...?" Remus pointed at her.

"Hermione Granger, professor," Hermione said. "Boggarts are shapeshifters with no definite form. They take the form of what you fear most."

"Well done, five points to Gryffindor," Remus said, glancing down at the Gryffindor crest on Hermione's robes. "Does anyone know how to defeat a boggart?"

Hermione's hand shot up again.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Remus asked, smiling.

"Laughter will confuse it," Hermione said.

"Very good, another five points to Gryffindor," Remus said. "Everyone, take out your wands."

Everyone took out their wands.

"Repeat after me: Riddikulus," Remus said. "No wand movements yet."

"Riddikulus," the entire class chorused.

Alex sighed in boredom.

"Now then, we have a boggart in that closet. Who wants to go first?" Sirius asked.

Everyone hesitated.

"You there, in the front," Remus said. "What's your name?"

"N-Neville Longbottom," the poor boy said nervously.

"Well Neville, what do you fear most?" Remus asked.

Neville mumbled something.

"Pardon?" Remus asked, leaning in slightly to hear better.

"Professor Snape," Neville mumbled louder.

"Yes, he can be quite intimidating at times," Remus said, nodding.

Sirius snorted and Remus glared at him.

"Now Neville, you have a grandmother, right?" Remus asked.

Neville nodded.

"Can you picture what she wears?" Remus asked.

Neville nodded again.

"When the boggart comes out as Professor Snape, I want you to imagine him in your grandmother's clothes, point your wand, and say the spell." Remus said.

Neville gulped nervously and nodded.

"Good," Remus said. "Ready?"

Neville gripped his wand tightly. Sirius flicked his wand and the closet opened. Snape stepped out of the closet. He looked around at his surroundings before focusing his depthless black eyes on Neville, who looked like he was about to shit his pants.

"Neville, the spell," Remus hissed.

Neville pointed his wand at the boggart, who was advancing on him in Snape's menacing way.

"Riddikulus," Neville squeaked.

A crack sounded and Snape was suddenly wearing strange clothes with a vulture hat on his head. The entire class broke into laughter as the boggart frowned in slight panic and confusion.

"Well done, Neville," Remus said. "Next person!"

"This is stupid," Alex muttered as the line moved forward. "I don't even know if I fear anything."

"Then this will be good for you," Hermione said. "Everyone should know what their fear is."

Alex sighed. He hoped this class would be over soon. Hermione went up next. The boggart shuffled for a second before McGonagall solidified before them. The Transfiguration professor looked angry, glaring at Hermione.

"You are no good at magic, Miss Granger. You have failed every single test and assignment in each class and continuously fail to meet the school's standards. It is obvious now that you do not belong here in the magical world. I will speak to the headmaster and have you expelled! Giving you an acceptance letter to this school was clearly a mistake!"

Hermione was stiff and she shrank down under the words of the imitation of McGonagall. Alex leaned in to whisper into her ear.

"It's not really her," he muttered. "Cast the spell."

"I know it's not her, but the words still hurt," Hermione shuddered.

She took a deep breath to calm herself as she raised her wand towards the boggart.

"Riddikulus!"

The boggart was transformed into group of ducklings. Everyone cooed at the fluffy cute creatures. Hermione smiled slightly before she hurriedly walked to the side. Alex stepped forward. The boggart began shapeshifting, taking a few seconds. Alex frowned slightly, curious to see what the boggart would come up with.

The boggart's form solidified and Alex was looking at himself. He raised an eyebrow.

"He's scared of himself?" he heard Ron whisper to Eric and Hermione.

Alex studied the boggart closer and realized with a start that it wasn't him, it was his twin.

Why would he be scared of his twin?

The boggart looked at him with glowing green eyes. Alex faintly heard Hermione gasp as she too realized it was Harry, not him.

The boggart of his younger brother smiled an eerie smile and giggled. It pulled out a knife.

"Such a fool, dear brother," the boggart said in Harry's voice. "I don't know why I put up with you. I could do so much better without you holding me back."

The boggart lunged forward with the knife. Everyone shrieked and gasped in alarm, jumping back from the boggart. Alex silently cast a shielding spell, causing the knife to glance off it. The boggart stepped back. It giggled insanely and traced the knife against a pale cheek. Lupin stepped forward, wand at the ready.

"Stay out of it," Alex warned him, lowering his shield.

Lupin looked at him. Alex's eyes remained fixed on the boggart.

"You're nothing to me, Alex. You never have been, and you never will be," the boggart continued. "You've been holding me back all this time. I could've done great things, but you...you've been holding me back, forcing me to live in your shadow."

The boggart giggled again, tilting its head. The glowing green eyes seemed to pierce into Alex's soul. Suddenly, blood dripped down from his twin's neck, directly where the jagged pale scar laid. The crimson liquid began spilling out more rapidly, pooling onto the floor. The boggart's giggle turned into a cackle as some students screamed in terror.

"Goodbye forever, big brother," the boggart said quietly, the eerie grin still on its face.

In that moment, Alex understand what his fear was. He wasn't scared of his brother. He was scared of Harry leaving him, whether it was by death or betrayal.

Alex pointed his wand at the boggart.

"Riddikulus," he said emotionlessly.

The boggart exploded and zoomed back into the closet. Alex lowered his wand and walked out of the classroom without another word. Everyone stared after him in shock and fear.

"What...was that?" Ron gasped.

"He's scared of himself dying?" Eric asked, frowning in confusion.

"No," Hermione said quietly. "He's scared of his brother dying. Didn't you see that the boggart had green eyes, not blue?"

"He's scared of Harry dying? He never seemed to care about his brother before though," Ron said.

"Maybe not outwardly, but I think deep down, he genuinely cares about Harry," Hermione said softly. "He just doesn't know how to show it."

"Well..." Sirius said awkwardly. "Everyone will get points for participation. Let's end class early today, all right?"

Everyone silently got their bookbags and slowly left the classroom.

"What kind of fear is that?" Sirius muttered to Remus. "Is he scared his brother will leave him or something?"

"I don't think Alex is just scared that his brother will leave him one day," Remus said. "It is nice to see a bond that close between brothers, but the way his fear manifested, I think it had a deeper meaning than his twin just leaving him."

"Like what?"

Remus shook his head.

"I don't know...besides, it's a personal matter for Alex. It would be wrong of us to get involved."

* * *

Alex was picking at his food when Harry appeared right next to him. His younger twin seemed uncharacteristically calm today.

"How was your day?" Harry asked.

"Fine," Alex muttered.

"I heard about your DADA class," Harry said.

"I'm sure you did," Alex said, not even looking up. "And I'm sure you want an explanation too."

Harry chuckled. Of course he heard about the incident with the boggart and what Alex's fear had been. Things like that traveled around the school like wildfire. Most people looked at him strangely, but the people who had realized what his fear was, or thought they knew what it was, looked at him in pity.

"That's not why I mentioned it," Harry said.

Alex looked at him, his eyes hard and cold.

"Then why mention it at all?" he gritted out.

Harry just smiled, saying nothing else. He sipped at a cup of black tea.

"It'll be a full moon soon," Harry said.

"What about it?" Alex grumbled, going back to picking at his food.

"Oh, nothing important~" Harry hummed.

Alex paused and looked at his twin again.

"Tell me anyways," he commanded.

"Sure, but not here," Harry said, smirking slightly. "Trust me, if word got out about what I have recently discovered, it'll have dire consequences on a certain someone~"

Harry giggled. He set his cup down.

"I'll be in the dungeon for a little while. Have to make a little visit to Snape's classroom," he said.

"Why?" Alex asked, eating a potato.

"Just for a little talk; that's all," Harry said. "You can come if you want."

"I have homework," Alex said. "Perhaps another time."

Harry gave a secretive smile that Alex knew all too well. But he wasn't too concerned; Harry would tell him eventually. He always did.

* * *

Harry walked into the Potions classroom. It had been warded, but Harry broke through them with ease.

"Hello, professor," Harry said, smiling.

Snape jumped and looked up from where he was brewing a potion, surprised.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Evans?" he asked warily.

Harry sat down in the chair across from Snape and laid his chin on the back of his hand.

"Here to talk and observe," he replied nonchalantly.

"Observe what?"

"You brewing the Wolfsbane potion," Harry said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Snape stiffened slightly.

"What, did you think I wouldn't find out about Lupin? It was easy finding out. How do you think I found out you were a spy?" Harry asked, smirking. "I like walking around at night as I can't sleep most of the time. A nice walk at midnight usually helps clears the mind and you could hear the most interesting things. Don't you agree?"

"You shouldn't be walking around the castle after curfew," Snape said.

"Oh? And who are you going to tell now that I've confessed?" Harry purred. "I'm afraid this falls in the category of what you can't say, Snape. Don't forget about the vow you took."

"You mean the vow you forced me to take," Snape gritted his teeth.

"I did give you a choice, so I wouldn't say you were forced," Harry said.

"You gave me no choice but to take the vow or be killed," Snape said. "Now, what are you really doing here?"

"Just as I said before, to observe and talk," Harry said. "And...to offer my help."

"Help? What are you playing at?" Snape asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"You're a busy guy, being a professor and all," Harry said. "When you're not available, I will brew the potion for Lupin and bring it up to him."

"Why would you do that? It is out of character for you," Snape said.

"You can think of it as another way of infiltrating the Order if it makes you feel less suspicious of my intentions," Harry said, shrugging carelessly.

"But is it?"

"I suppose it is," Harry said.

He chuckled darkly.

"Lupin is best friends with Potter and Black. If I got close to him, it'll give me a better chance of getting accepted into the Order, wouldn't you think? After all, every plan needs a back-up, and every back-up plan needs another back-up plan."

Harry gestured to Snape.

"You're going to be the main force that helps Alex and I get into the Order. However, we are also taking the time to gain the trust of the golden trio. If they trust us, it'll give us a better chance. If we get another member of the Order to trust us, it'll give us a definite in." he explained.

"We are just all pawns in your little game." Snape said.

"My, you're a clever one~" Harry giggled. "Careful though, Severus; it could get you killed one day."

Harry cackled and Snape shuddered at the sound.

* * *

Snape glanced over his shoulder. Harry was still following him.

"Do you want Lupin to find out you know about...his condition?" he asked finally.

"In this case, it is important to establish trust from the very beginning," Harry said.

"If you say so," Snape muttered, still uneasy from being followed by Harry. "I just hope you know what you're doing."

"Don't worry about anything but your own work," Harry said.

He smirked, his pupils slitting briefly.

"My plans have yet to go wrong," he said. "I am expecting obstacles and miscalculations, but that's what makes all this so fun!"

"So all this is really just a game for you; you are truly insane," Snape said, gritting his teeth.

"Watch where you're going, Snape," Harry said. "You wouldn't want to spill that potion, right?"

He giggled as Snape focused on keeping the goblet of Wolfsbane potion balanced.

"And yes, to answer your question, this is like a game to me," Harry said. "Everyone around me are the pawns in a game, even my own father and twin brother."

"Why tell me that?" Snape asked, not looking at him.

"Because games are more fun than real life," Harry said. "Besides, it is easier to view the world as a game, like a chess board, than just with your eyes. There is just as much risk in a game as there is in life. Except this game...it is a matter of life and death...one mistake and you're dead. Fun right?"

"No," Snape said quietly. "What kind of game is that?"

"A game called life." Harry said. "Oh look, we're here!"

Harry opened the door and Snape stepped through.

"Professor Lupin," Snape said stiffly.

"Ah, Professor Snape," Remus said, looking up.

He froze when he saw Harry.

"Don't mind me, professor," Harry said, smiling innocently. "I'm just accompanying Professor Snape on his walk up here to deliver the Wolfsbane potion to you."

Remus tensed.

"You...know...?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes, it wasn't that hard to figure out," Harry said.

"How did you find out? It hasn't even been a month into the school year," Remus said, narrowing his eyes.

"Let's just say I overheard bits and pieces of a conversation and put two and two together," Harry said. "But don't worry, professor, I haven't told anyone. Not even my twin knows."

"Which twin are you?" Remus asked. "I remember I met you in Diagon Alley before school started."

"Correct," Harry said. "I am Harry Evans, the younger twin. And as a reminder, Alex and I look identical in everything except our eye color."

"Yes, I remember now," Remus said. "You are the twin with green eyes. Alex has blue eyes."

"Correct again," Harry said, his innocent smile growing. "Professor Lupin, I just wanted to say, if Professor Snape should be unavailable, I will brew the Wolfsbane potion for you."

Remus frowned and looked at Snape.

"Mr. Evans has unusually good skills in potions. I have been training him in private on his request," Snape said, lying smoothly. "He is quite capable of brewing an advanced potion such as the Wolfsbane potion."

Remus nodded.

"Very well," he said. "Harry?"

"Yes?" Harry asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Please don't tell anyone else of my...condition," Remus said. "It is a delicate subject and if parents were to find out about me...well it wouldn't go very well to put it very lightly."

"Oh, I know," Harry said. "I will tell nobody about this; you have nothing to worry about, Professor Lupin."

"Thank you, Harry," Remus said.

Snape handed the potion to Remus, who drank it slowly.

"I have papers to grade. Have a good night," Snape said stiffly before leaving quickly.

Harry watched him go.

"It is almost curfew, Harry," Lupin said. "You should get going too."

"I suppose I should," Harry said, humming slightly. "After all, getting a detention would be quite unfortunate."

Harry turned and smiled innocently once more.

"I shall see you in my next DADA class, professor," he said.

"Good night," Lupin said.

Harry left the classroom. He hummed as a dark smirk curled upwards on his lips. A giggle escaped him.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

"You've been spending a lot of time in the dungeons lately," Alex said, not looking up from his book.

Harry glanced up at him. They were seated in a small secluded corner of the library.

"What about it?" he asked.

"You told me you would tell me why," Alex said.

"Did I? It must've slipped my memory," Harry said, grinning.

"Things don't slip your memory," Alex said, finally looking up. "What are you hiding from me?"

"Are you sure you want to know?" Harry teased.

"If we weren't undercover here, I would curse you," Alex muttered, his eye twitching in annoyance and his grip tightening on his book.

Harry rolled his eyes.

"I'm only kidding, dear brother. Learn to take a joke every once in a while," Harry said and then snorted. "Oh wait, you can't; you're a sociopath," he said in a taunting tone.

Harry hissed in pain as a hex hit him in the leg.

"That was a warning," Alex said, closing his book. "Now tell me what's going on."

Harry shifted closer, keeping an eye out for eavesdroppers.

"Professor Lupin is a werewolf," he whispered into his twin's ear.

Alex didn't react except for a raised eyebrow.

"How do you know?" he muttered softly.

"I overheard a conversation between the old man and McGonagall a few months ago," Harry said quietly enough so only Alex could hear him. "Snape has been brewing the Wolfsbane potion for him every month before the full moon."

"I see," Alex said. "And what are you planning to do with this information?"

"My plan is already in effect, Alex," Harry said. "Lupin is a back-up to my back-up plan. It is to ensure we will infiltrate the Order without them suspecting us of anything. Continue to gain the trust of the trio. I will get closer to Lupin."

"What's so significant about him?"

"He is one of the best friends of Potter and Black from their years at Hogwarts. The Potters are a huge supporter of the Light side and Dumbledore, along with the Weasleys." Harry said. "They trust Lupin and the rest of the Orders trusts them. If we can get Lupin to trust us along with the trio, we'll be accepted into the Order smoothly."

"And how will you go about this?" Alex asked.

"I told Lupin I will make him the potion when Snape is unavailable. Snape vouched for me, so Lupin trusts me not to poison him or make the wrong potion. He gave me an in way too easily; he's too trusting," Harry said, chuckling slightly. "If everything goes smoothly, we'll infiltrate the Order by...perhaps our fourth year."

Alex nodded.

"And don't forget your mission for this year, Harry," he muttered. "Father wants the diadem."

"I know; I haven't forgotten about that," Harry said. "I already know where it is located and it won't be suspicious for me to be up there anymore. I'll be retrieving it at the end of the year. It is safer inside the Room of Requirement than in my luggage after all."

"Just don't wait too long," Alex said.

"Don't worry about it," Harry said, patting his twin on the arm. "You leave the diadem to me. It is my mission, after all. You focus on your own mission of gathering information for father."

* * *

Remus graded a paper. He reached for another one from the stack and looked at the sloppy writing, but his mind couldn't focus on the words. He sighed and put the scroll down, looking across the desk to where Harry was reading a book on Potions.

"Why are you here?" he asked. "It's nowhere near the full moon."

"I can't spend time with a professor?" Harry asked, glancing up from his book.

"With anyone else, I wouldn't question it, but you...you're one of the smartest students I know," Remus said. "You wouldn't need my help for anything."

"You're smart, professor," Harry said, smiling slightly.

He closed his book with a soft thump.

"I've been thinking about a few things recently...about your 'condition'," Harry said.

Remus stiffened, eyes automatically darting towards the door out of paranoia.

"Don't worry, nobody can hear this conversation nor can they get in. I warded the classroom," Harry said, waving his hand dismissively.

"I didn't notice anything," Remus said, frowning.

Harry only smiled.

"So, you can perform magic wandlessly and wordlessly as well. You truly are a genius," Remus said. "That could get you in trouble one day, Harry."

"Oh, I've heard that a million times," Harry said, chuckling.

Harry took a second to place his book in his bookbag.

"Professor Lupin," he said, straightening up. "Have you ever read into anything about other werewolves?"

Remus froze.

"...No...why?" he asked hesitantly.

"There are many werewolves who have accepted their inner wolf. For example, Fenrir Greyback," Harry said.

Remus flinched at the name and Harry almost smirked.

"How do you know that name?" Remus growled.

Harry smiled secretively.

"Everyone who keeps up with the news knows about the werewolf that is a follower of the Dark Lord," he said. "He is one of very few werewolves that don't have problems shifting on the full moon. Do you want to know why? It's because he embraced what he is, what he became. If you accepted your inner wolf, you wouldn't have to worry about taking the Wolfsbane potion anymore. You wouldn't have any new scars to add to your collection either."

"Why are you bringing this up? And how do you even know any of this?! You're barely thirteen years old!" Remus exclaimed.

"Knowledge is power. I merely have the motivation to acquire it," Harry said. "The people who don't have the drive to acquire knowledge are incompetent idiots. If I wish to know something, I will stop at nothing to acquire the necessary information. That is who I am, nothing more."

Remus repressed a shudder when the hungry look in Harry's almost glowing eyes. His inner wolf told him that this child...no, Harry was no child. There was no way to describe what Harry was, but he certainly wasn't human. His inner wolf seemed to cower away from Harry, sensing immense danger coming from the inhuman being.

Harry smirked. He could read Remus like a book. Emotions flitted across the professor's face: confusion, conflict, paranoia...hope.

Harry had to stifle a dark laugh that threatened to escape his lips.

His plan was coming into play now.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

It was quiet in the library today. Alex finished reading his book and set it down on the table. He reached for another book in his large stack. He was doing research for some homework. He glanced across the table where Hermione was furiously scribbling a Potions essay. Suddenly, she scowled.

"Alex," Hermione said.

Alex grunted in reply, reading his new book now.

"Where's Harry? I need to ask him a question about this essay," Hermione said.

"He's busy," Alex said. "What do you need help on?"

Hermione showed him her essay on the properties of moonstones.

"I don't think these sentences are right," she said, pointing at a few sentences detailing how properly to collect moonstones.

Alex read what she'd written down.

"They're not," he said bluntly.

He grabbed a fifth-year Potions book from his stack and slid it across the table. Hermione caught the book and flipped through the book. She mumbled under her breath as she fixed her essay.

"Thanks, Alex," she said.

"Sure," Alex replied, back to reading his book.

Half an hour later, Hermione began packing up her supplies.

"It's lunch now," Hermione said, casting a tempus spell quickly.

Alex sighed as he packed his things into his bookbag. He grabbed the small stack of books and the two went to exit the library. Alex quickly checked out the books before following Hermione to the Great Hall.

"I don't see Harry at the Ravenclaw table," Hermione noticed. "Do you want to sit with me and the other two today?"

Alex raised an eyebrow.

"You do realize I am a Slytherin, right? You, Potter, and Weasley may be warming up to me, but none of the Gryffindors are," he said.

"Yes well, you are a friend," Hermione said. "Friends should sit together. Besides, I know you never got along that well with the other Slytherins."

"I merely-

"Tolerate them, I know," Hermione finished his sentence for him. "Come on, it won't be too bad. It's about time everyone got over the entire house separation thing anyways."

Hermione dragged Alex over to the Gryffindor table, where the Gryffindors immediately eyed him in suspicion and disdain. Hermione sat down, Alex next to her.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Ron hissed. "I know you and Alex are friends, but he can't sit here!"

"Alex sits at the Ravenclaw table all the time, but nobody protests about that. Why should this be any different?" Hermione asked defensively. "I am simply eating lunch with a friend."

Ron opened his mouth to say something else.

"Just leave it, Ron," Eric said, tugging on his friend's sleeve. "Besides, Alex isn't that bad of a person."

Ron grumbled under his breath, but let the matter go as he reached for some food. Alex sighed.

"I believe you've made a target out of me, Hermione, from both the Gryffindors and Slytherins," he said.

"But do you really care about that?" Hermione asked, sipping some pumpkin juice.

Alex rolled his eyes. "No. Perhaps you know me a little better than I thought you did," he muttered.

Hermione smiled slightly in triumph.

"So where's Harry anyways?" she asked.

"Either with Professor Lupin or with Professor Snape," Alex said.

Hermione looked at the staff table.

"Professor Snape is up there. He must be with Professor Lupin then," she said. "What's he doing?"

"He didn't tell me," Alex said.

"Really? You two are very close. I would think Harry tells you everything," Hermione said.

"Contrary to your beliefs, Harry is actually a very secretive person. He rarely tells me anything unless he thinks it necessary," Alex said. It was a half-truth.

"I see," Hermione said. "Harry has always been...an interesting person."

"Interesting is putting it very mildly," Alex said.

"I can't imagine what it would be like to work with someone like him. What was it like? Growing up with him?" Hermione asked, looking at him.

Alex sighed.

"Very troublesome, but helpful," he said. "He learned mostly everything from a very young age. He self-taught himself."

"Amazing!" Hermione exclaimed, eyes sparkling. "I've been told I was very book smart...but Harry is an entire league above me!"

"He taught me the basics of everything," Alex said. "He came up with different and quicker ways of brewing potions. He loves experimenting with Potions..."

Hermione didn't notice Alex's hesitation; she was too busy focusing on his other words.

"Do you think he would tutor me?" she asked eagerly.

"Well, he has started warming up to you," Alex said. "I'm sure he'll eventually agree if you ask him enough times."

Hermione grinned in excitement.

* * *

Eric eyed the twins. The two were walking down the corridor, chatting about something too softly for them to hear.

"You sure about this?" Ron asked, frowning uncertainly. "I mean, we don't know anything about these two."

"I trust Alex," Hermione said. "Harry is a little creepy, but I know he will follow Alex."

"We'll have to tell the headmaster, my parents, and the others about this soon," Eric said. "They'll be mad at us, but they've noticed how Alex and Harry are becoming our friends."

"They'll accept them," Hermione said firmly.

"If you say so," Ron said, sighing.

"Here they come!" Eric whispered.

The twins passed them. Eric and Ron grabbed them and pulled them behind the pillar.

"Alex, Harry, it's us!" Hermione exclaimed softly before the twins could pull out their wands out of defense.

"Hermione? What's going on?" Alex asked, blinking in surprise.

"We need to tell you guys something," Eric said.

"About what?" Harry asked, tilting his head. "It must be very important and top secret if you're dragging us behind a pillar and speaking in hushed voices."

The trio glanced at each other and gave imperceptible nods.

"Alex, Harry, what we're about to tell you needs to remain a secret," Eric said quietly. "You can never tell any of this to anyone."

"Should we take an Unbreakable Vow then?" Alex asked.

"No, that won't be necessary." Hermione said. "We trust you enough to keep this a secret. Eric, go on."

Eric nodded. He took a deep breath. He looked around to make sure there wasn't anyone walking down the corridor before speaking again.

"What do you two know about the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Order of the Phoenix? Isn't that the organization formed to fight You-Know-Who?" Harry asked.

"Yeah," Eric said. "Albus Dumbledore is the head of the Order. The three of us are members of the Order along with my parents, Ron's entire family, and a few Aurors. There's also Professor Black and Professor Lupin."

"Don't forget Snape," Ron said.

Ron leaned in.

"Snape's our spy," he whispered.

"A spy? Isn't that dangerous?" Harry whispered back.

"Snape is a former Death Eater that came to the Light side a few years ago," Eric said quietly. "He's the reason why we know all the locations of You-Know-Who's raids, who the Death Eaters are, and other things."

"Why are you telling us this?" Alex asked quietly.

"We'll telling you this because we trust you and we want you to help us defeat You-Know-Who," Hermione said.

"For all you know, we could be spies sent by You-Know-Who," Alex said.

"Perhaps, but any kids that maniac recruits into his ranks have got to be extremely messed up in the brain," Ron said. "You two don't seem like you're crazy or insane...maybe a little creepy, but not crazy. Anyone who joins You-Know-Who is a lunatic."

"Is that your only proof? You don't even know anything about us," Alex said.

"From what I've gathered, you two don't have a very good home life," Hermione said. "Harry is a genius who self-taught himself everything and then taught you. You two have a very close bond as brothers. Harry is a little creepy, but I believe it is just because he's unused to interacting with other people. Alex, you said you two don't get out very much, Harry especially."

"Huh, you're right. I don't get out much," Harry muttered thoughtfully. "I should go out more."

"Focus, Harry," Alex said.

"You two seem like very good people. Alex, you said one time that the only reason why you're in Slytherin is because you have the ambition to meet your goals, not because you're manipulative and willing to do anything to get what you want," Eric added. "You're not like the other Slytherins. I know everyone is stereotyped at Hogwarts depending on what house they're in, but you don't fit the stereotypes of Slytherin."

Alex sighed.

"Have you told anyone else about this meeting? Does the headmaster know you are telling us about the Order?" he asked.

The trio looked down sheepishly.

"Not exactly..." Hermione said slowly.

Alex sighed again.

"You should tell them quickly," he said. "Harry and I will get back to you if we want to join or not."

"Ultimately, whether we join or not is up to the headmaster," Harry put in. "After all, he is the founder and leader. But thanks for trusting us enough to tell us about this."

"Yeah, sure," Hermione said, smiling slightly. "But please remember, don't tell anyone about this."

"Don't worry, we won't," Harry said.

"We'll see you later," Alex said, nodding curtly.

The twins left.

"You still sure this was good idea?" Ron asked. "Alex is okay, but Harry still gives me the creeps."

"Oh, stop it," Hermione chastised. "We all agreed to tell them."

"Come on, we need to go tell Dumbledore," Eric said. "Hopefully, we won't get into too much trouble."

Hermione nodded and the trio walked away.

On the opposite end of the corridor, Harry smirked. He tugged his scarf up to cover the lower half of his face, stifling a dark cackle. Alex remained emotionless as ever, but there was a glint of amusement in his ice blue eyes.

"Everything is going according to plan," Harry said quietly.

Alex hummed in agreement.

"Yes...yes it is."


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Harry hummed cheerfully as he skipped down the corridor. It was two in the morning. The entire castle was silent and dark, but Harry had never felt so wide awake before. His sickly green eyes glowed sinisterly in the dark as he made his way to the seventh floor.

There was a soft meow. Harry looked down. Hedwig's golden eyes stared back up at him.

"Ah Hedwig, there you are," Harry said, careful to keep his voice low.

He scooped the cat into his arms. Hedwig purred in content as she settled in Harry's arms.

"Lazy cat," Harry muttered.

He continued up the stairs in silence. Finally, he reached the seventh floor.

"If I remember correctly, Helena said the entrance is the tapestry of a man teaching ballet to trolls," Harry muttered to himself.

He saw the tapestry soon enough and a satisfied smirk found its way onto Harry's face.

"Perfect," he said.

He walked past the tapestry three times, thinking about the diadem and how much he needed it for the sake of his life. A few seconds later, a doorway appeared. Harry giggled slightly and opened the doors.

"The Room of Requirement," he said. "Such a fascinating room, only appearing when you are in great need of it."

His pupils slit when he saw the diadem on a pedestal at the far end of the room. He dropped Hedwig. The cat meowed in surprise, but landed on her feet easily. Harry crossed the room quickly, eager to get to the diadem. He could already sense the dark magic surrounding the diadem, calling out to him. His smirk turned twisted and cruel as his eyes glowed even more. Hedwig backed into a corner, afraid of the bloodlust she could sense coming from her master.

Harry reached out to touch the diadem.

"Stop!" a voice shouted.

Harry didn't jump. He turned slightly to see Helena hovering to his right. He turned around fully to see that Helena wasn't alone. Several other ghosts were with her.

"Helena, what are you doing here?" Harry asked, tilting his head.

Helena clenched her fists.

"I know I told you where the diadem was two years ago, but..." she trailed off, unable to say anymore.

"But what?" Harry asked.

"Tell me child, why do you seek that dark object?" another ghost asked. "Surely you can feel the darkness radiating from it's very being?"

"Yes, I can feel it," Harry said.

"Then why? Why seek it out?"

"The Room of Requirement only shows itself to those who are in desperate need of something. For me, I guess you could say it was desperate need to get the diadem...but not for what you think," Harry said.

Harry chuckled darkly.

"It is either the diadem or my life," he said quietly.

"Your life? What are you talking about?" another ghost asked, alarmed.

"My father gave me this mission, but he knows I am keeping many things from me. He is satisfied with one of the secrets I told him, but I only have one more chance. If I disappoint him again, he'll kill me without a second thought," Harry said.

Harry looked at the diadem.

"Of course, that isn't the only reason," he said.

Harry giggled, smiling an innocent smile.

"But nobody needs to know that," he said.

"Please, just stop!" Helena pleaded. "Just give up on the diadem! It will only corrupt you further!"

"Don't you see, Helena? I've come too far," Harry said, his eyes gleaming in insanity. "There's no turning back for me. There is no saving for me."

"You don't know what that thing is!" Helena exclaimed. "It is dark magic, the worst of it all!"

"I know exactly what it is," Harry said.

Harry reached forward and touched the diadem, ignoring the gasps of horror from the ghosts behind him. The dark magic curled around his fingers gently and almost tenderly, tickling his pale white skin. Harry could hear soft sinister whispering but paid it no mind for now.

Harry grinned almost psychotically, stroking the diadem with his fingers.

"Such sweet whispering," he muttered.

Harry turned back to the ghosts.

"A Horcrux, created by my own father and placed into this diadem," he said. "Horrific magic...yet it calls out to me."

"You can't mean-

"I don't plan to make a Horcrux of my own," Harry cut the ghost off.

Harry stroked the diadem, fingers playing over the dark colored jewels.

"I rather like myself the way I am," he muttered. "But I wonder why father would do this to himself. First the diary...and then splitting his souls into six other pieces. It is rather fascinating. Why would he go this far to ensure his immortality? And why would he pick such infamous objects? That is the biggest question of them all."

Harry shrugged, lowering the diadem.

"I suppose those questions will never be answered," he said, smiling slightly.

"There is no stopping you then," Helena said quietly. "You truly are a demonic being. You're no human."

Harry's smile turned sickly sweet as he looked at Helena.

"Perhaps you're right," he said.

Harry raised an eyebrow at her and glanced at the other ghosts. Helena gritted her teeth, knowing exactly what Harry was saying silently.

"I told them nothing," Helena said. "I kept my promise like I said I would. They worked it out on their own."

"Then the same goes for all of you," Harry said, glowing sickly green eyes sweeping over the other ghosts. "One word out of any of you, know I will kill you a second time."

The ghosts remained silent, only nodding reluctantly, knowing that Harry's words weren't an empty threat.

* * *

"You did WHAT?!" Lily yelled in anger and shock.

Eric sighed.

"We told Alex and Harry about the Order," he said again.

"That was very reckless of you! What if they're spies?!" James shouted.

"Calm down Lily, James," Dumbledore said. "They meant well."

"Haven't you forgotten, Albus?! You-Know-Who has two boys among his ranks! He could have sent them to Hogwarts to spy on us!" Lily shouted. "For all we know, those two are the spies!"

"We don't know that," Remus tried to reason.

"You haven't been here long enough to know those two boys!" Lily exclaimed.

"I know them well enough," Remus retorted. "I don't know Alex as well as I do Harry, but they are good students and people!"

"And I know Alex better than you," Hermione added. "He may seem emotionless, but that's only because he never left his home much; same with Harry!"

"If I may cut in," Snape suddenly spoke up.

Everyone looked at the Potions professor.

"I have been observing Alex and Harry Evans for the past three years," Snape said. "I assure you they are not with the Dark Lord."

"Snape, you said that those two children You-Know-Who has in his army of Death Eaters, one of them is a genius at Potions and even created a healing potion impossible to replicate," James said.

"Harry is very good at Potions, but he is not of that level of that boy the Dark Lord has recruited," Snape said. "Harry is very skilled; there's no denying that. But he is trustworthy; he has helped me several times in making the Wolfsbane potions for Lupin."

"He knows you're a werewolf?" Lily asked, looking at Remus with surprise.

Remus sighed and nodded.

"Yes, he knows," he said. "And he has not told anyone. The only person he could've told is Alex, but I know they wouldn't tell anyone else. He often comes by my office to have small chats with me."

"About what?" Dumbledore aske curiously.

"It varies," Remus said. "One time, he talked about theories he heard about werewolves accepting their inner wolf to make it easier on them on full moons."

"They certainly seem like good people," Dumbledore said. "I am glad to hear that such young students are willing to accept something like this. Not everyone is very open about someone being a werewolf. I believe it will be good to have them in the Order."

"Are you serious? We don't know anything about them," James protested.

"The others won't be happy about this," Sirius put in.

"We'll keep an eye on them," Dumbledore said. "Until we have determined they can be completely trusted, we won't tell them very sensitive information."

"Don't forget they are mere children still," Lily said.

"With the war coming up, everyone in the Order will need to know everything," Dumbledore said.

He looked at the trio.

"And that includes you three," he said.

The trio looked at each other excitedly.

"I will look further into the Evans twins," Dumbledore said.

"Evans... any relation, Lily?" James asked, looking at his wife.

"I don't know them," Lily shook her head. "I don't know of any relatives named Alex or Harry. Besides, Evans is a pretty common last name."

"I guess you're right," James said, shrugging.

Dumbledore chuckled, his eyes twinkling merrily. He looked at the trio again.

"Tell Alex and Harry they are invited into the Order," he said. "I will continue to investigate their past."

"Of course," Hermione said, smiling happily. "We'll tell them right away!"

The trio ran away. Dumbledore and the others watched them go.

"I hope we're going the right thing," James said. "Accepting those two boys into the Order just like that."

"I'm sure they're perfectly trustworthy," Dumbledore said. "Don't worry; we'll find out soon enough. Besides, they won't be members of the Order. They're too young still. They'll just be there in the house, but they won't be attending any meetings."

Nobody noticed Snape gritting his teeth in frustration and clenching his fists to the point of the skin breaking.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

"Alex! Harry!"

The twins turned around in unison when they heard Hermione's call. It was end of their third year and they had just boarded the train to go back to London.

"Come sit with us," Hermione said, catching up to them.

Alex and Harry looked at each other.

"Sure," Harry said, smiling kindly. "Every other compartment is probably already full by now."

The twins followed Hermione to a compartment towards the middle of the train. Eric and Ron were already there. Hermione closed the door behind them and locked it with a spell muttered under her breath.

"So, you guys have plans for this summer?" Eric asked.

"Go home, do homework," Alex said.

"That's it?" Ron asked. "No fun or anything?"

"Well...none that I can think of," Alex said, frowning thoughtfully.

Of course he couldn't mention that he was probably going to go on raids during the summer on his father's command. Harry chuckled lightly.

"We don't get out much," he said.

"How about spending some of the summer with us?" Hermione asked.

"What do you mean by that?" Alex asked.

Hermione glanced around and then casted a silencing spell over the compartment.

"You two have been welcomed into the Order's headquarters," she said.

The twins blinked.

"Headquarters?" Harry asked. "You mean...?"

"Yep," Hermione said, smiling. "Granted, the others weren't very happy that we told you without asking them first, but Dumbledore said he would let you into the headquarters. He knows you don't have a very good home life. You won't be attending any meetings or learning any sensitive information though."

"You'll be in the same situation as us basically," Ron said. "We're too young to be included in the meetings, but we're still there in the same building as the Order."

Harry snorted.

"Anything beats being home with the parents," he muttered.

Alex sighed.

"We have to at least tell them so they don't panic and call the Aurors," he said. "But if we tell them we're staying at a friend's house temporarily, they won't be able to stop us since they don't know which friend. I'll send a letter."

"How long are we welcome for?" Harry asked.

"For as long as you want to stay really," Eric said. "As long as you don't do anything suspicious, you can stay as long as you want."

"Nice," Harry said. "Thanks guys; we really appreciate this. It'll be nice to not stay cooped up at the house all summer."

"Sure," Hermione said, smiling happily.

* * *

They were greeted by Lily, James, and Sirius at the train station.

"Alex, Harry, good to see you again," Lily said, smiling kindly.

"Likewise," Alex said, nodding in greeting.

"Let's get going," Sirius said. "Everyone else is expecting us."

They Apparated out of there and landed in a muggle street. Sirius pulled out a slip of paper and held it out to the twins.

"Read that and commit it to memory," he said.

Alex took the paper and held it up so both he and Harry could read it. As soon as they read the single sentence, the building began to shift, revealing an entirely different building in between. The small group went into the house.

"Welcome to Number 12 Grimmauld Place, ancestral home of the Black family," Sirius said with a fancy gesture. "This is where I grew up. It's now the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix."

Alex admitted to himself that it was impressive.

"The entire place is under a Fidelius spell with Dumbledore as the Secret Keeper. It's got every safety measure you can think of," Sirius continued. "Really, it's the ideal place for a headquarters."

"Yes, it is," Harry agreed.

Molly Weasley came out a room.

"Welcome back, all of you!" she exclaimed.

She caught sight of Alex and Harry.

"And you two must be Alex and Harry Evans," Molly said, smiling widely. "Albus told us all about you two. We're happy to have you for as long as you want to stay, all right?"

She began fussing over them.

"You two are far too skinny! I'll get you something to eat." she said, already leaving to the kitchen.

"I'll go help her," Lily said. "Any requests?"

"I'm vegan," Alex said.

"Vegan?" Lily asked, looking surprised.

"He hates meat and dairy," Hermione answered for him. "And Harry doesn't eat much to begin with."

"I eat when I want to," Harry said.

"Yeah, that's not often enough," Hermione said.

"Just give him a bloody steak and he'll eat it," Alex said, sighing.

"Bloody...?" James asked, looking slightly queasy.

Harry hummed and smiled at the thought of his favorite food.

"It's the only thing he'll eat. Other than that, he'll just drink tea," Alex said.

"All right," Lily said, frowning. "I'll tell Molly."

She went into the room they now knew was the kitchen.

"Everyone else will be coming later," Sirius said. "How about we take you two for a tour around the house?"

"We'll do it," Eric said.

"Good idea," James said, smiling once more. "Although be sure to stay out of the more dangerous rooms."

"Dangerous?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, this is a house of the Black family," Sirius said. "We were known for supporting the Dark side...not me though. We have some dark artifacts and books that I haven't cleaned out yet, so be careful of anything you touch."

"Will do," Eric said. "Come on, you two."

The twins followed the trio up the stairs. After a twenty minute tour, they entered a bedroom with four beds.

"You'll be staying here with Ron and I," Eric said. "Hermione's staying with Ginny in another room. We'll leave you to set up for now."

"Mum will probably call for you when food's ready," Ron said.

The trio left. Alex and Harry glanced at each other. Harry flicked his hand at one bed and set it up simply. Alex did the same. Alex then set up a silencing spell.

"Any clue where the locket could be?" he asked.

"I expected this place to be big, so no, I don't have a clue," Harry said. "But we have the entire summer to search and I'm sure I'll find something soon enough."

Harry let Hedwig out of her carrier. The black cat meowed and stretched before leaping up onto Harry's bed, settling down quickly.

"Lazy cat," Harry muttered.

"I'm surprised she's still alive with your track record with animals," Alex said.

"Yeah, well, she's lucky she's cute," Harry grumbled.

"Father won't be very happy that we did this without informing him," Alex said. "He does know about this, right?"

"I probably mentioned it to him earlier on; I don't remember," Harry said, shrugging.

"We're going to get cursed for this," Alex muttered unhappily.

"But if we come back with the locket, he'll be happier," Harry said, holding up a finger.

"He thinks we know only about two of his Horcruxes, not all seven of them," Alex said. "He already doesn't trust us, and he trusts you even less. I'll most likely get off lightly because finding the Horcruxes isn't my mission."

"I know about his Horcruxes, but I don't know how they're made yet," Harry said. "I plan on finding out though."

Alex narrowed his eyes.

"Don't tell me you're-

"Nothing of the sort," Harry cut him off. "I have no intention of destroying my soul like father did to his. I'm not driven to find immortality..."

Alex stared at him for several long seconds before looking away.

"I know you're still hiding something from me," he said. "But I'll let it go for now."

"I assure you, brother, I am keeping nothing from you as of this moment," Harry said. "I have no intention of making a Horcrux of my own."

Alex frowned in suspicion.

"Then why do you want to know how they're made?" he asked.

"Call it a curiosity," Harry said.

There was a knock on the door. Alex brought down the silencing spell quickly but carefully.

"Food's ready," Ron's voice sounded through the door. "Come down and eat before it's gone."

"We'll be right there," Harry called.

Harry looked at his older twin brother.

"Let's go then~" he purred.

Alex sighed but stood up to follow Harry out of the room. Hedwig's head lifted and watched the twins leave. She yawned and laid her head on her paws, golden eyes closing.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Harry sighed as he finished eating his food.

"Um Harry? When's the last time you ate something?" Eric asked.

Harry looked up to see everyone except for Alex and Hermione looking slightly disgusted. Alex was too used to his eating habits and Hermione already knew about them beforehand due to eating meals with them sometimes in the past year.

Harry frowned thoughtfully, tapping his chin.

"I don't remember," he said cheerfully.

"That's not good," Lily said in a disapproving tone. "Harry, you need to take better care of yourself."

"He's been like this his entire life. No use in trying to change him now," Alex said, eating some mashed potatoes.

"No wonder you two are so skinny," Molly said. "You need more meat on your bones."

"I don't eat meat," Alex said.

"What's so bad about it?" Ron asked, biting into a chicken leg.

Alex curled his lip up in disgust.

"The taste of any kind of meat or dairy repulses me," Alex said. He pointed at Harry. "Besides, living with someone who eats barely cooked meat would turn anyone against meat."

"He's got you there," Eric said, looking pointedly at Ron.

Ron rolled his eyes and went back to his food.

"Thank you for the meal, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said.

"It was my pleasure, Harry," Molly said, smiling. "Alex, is everything to your liking?"

"Yes, thank you," Alex said.

He finished off the rest of his food.

"May we be excused? We still haven't finished unpacking," Alex said.

"Go ahead," James said.

The twins walked out.

"Those two concern me," Molly said. "With their eating habits, it makes me worry what kind of home life they have. You said it was bad, but now I wonder just how bad."

"No use pondering on it," Lily said, sighing. "They're here, so we'll look after them until they go back to their home."

Molly looked unhappy at this but nodded in acceptance anyways.

* * *

It had been a month since the twins came to stay at 12 Grimmauld Place. As usual, after dinner, the twins were excused early and they went up to their room. The twins were talking softly in the room when Eric and Ron came in.

"Hey guys," Eric said.

The twins looked at them.

"There's a meeting going on downstairs right now. We're not allowed to attend since we're too young, so they sent us up here," Eric explained.

There was a sudden loud crack as Fred and George Weasley Apparated into the room. Eric and Ron yelped in surprise while Alex and Harry remained unfazed.

"Hello Eric, little brother," the Weasley twins said in unison.

Fred and George turned to the other pair of twins.

"Ah, identical twins," Fred said.

"Just like us," George said.

"Fred-

"and George-

"Weasley," the Weasley twins finished in unison, bowing. "How do you do?"

"Fine," Alex said. "I'm Alex."

"Harry," Harry said, smiling cheerfully.

Fred and George leaned in.

"Wow, you two look really identical, just like us!" they exclaimed.

"We have different eye colors," Harry said, tilting his head.

"That must be handy," the Weasley twins chorused.

They straightened up.

"Anyways, we were wondering if you would like to join us in eavesdropping on the meeting," George said.

"Are you insane? They'll catch us," Ron said.

"Not with these!" Fred said, pulling out ears from his pocket.

"What are they?" Eric asked, taking one.

"Extendable Ears," the Weasley twins chorused. "The perfect tool for eavesdropping."

"One of our earlier products," Fred said, casually checking his nails.

"But still useful," George said, dusting imaginary dust from his shoulder.

"It might be useful to keep up to date on whatever the Order is planning," Eric said. "Let's do it."

"You two in?" the Weasley twins asked, looking at Alex and Harry.

"Sure, why not?" Harry stated. "It'll be fun."

They snuck down the stairs before settling on a spot. Fred and George carefully lowered the Extendable Ears and gave them each a string to listen from.

"Any news from Severus?" they heard Lily ask.

"No," Dumbledore replied. "He's still at the Dark Lord's hideout."

"Perhaps he's been caught," James said.

"No, Severus is a very good spy," Dumbledore said. "I have faith in his abilities."

"What about those two children he seemed...concerned about?" Sirius asked. "Snape said it himself; he's more scared of two children than of You-Know-Who because they know everything, or something like that."

"These two children, brothers, may become a large problem in the future for us," Dumbledore said. "As of now, one of the brothers is on par with Snape's Potions skills, perhaps even greater. We cannot afford to lose our spy because Voldemort has a better Potions maker in his ranks. However, that child is most likely stationed in the heart of Voldemort's hideout. There's no hope in reaching him. Our other option is the brother that is actually a Death Eater."

"Poor child, forced to kill at such a young age," Molly muttered.

"Molly, please understand that these children are not being forced in any way," Dumbledore said gently but firmly. "I trust Severus's word and if he says these two boys are working willingly for Voldemort, they are."

"I refuse to believe it until I see it with my own two eyes, Albus!" Molly retorted. "It is just too unbelievable, to think two mere children would kill for that horrible man!"

"I know, Molly," Dumbledore said. "But there is nothing we can do now."

"So what exactly are you suggesting?" James asked.

"I am saying we capture one of the brothers," Dumbledore said. "On the next raid, one of them will most likely be there. If we can capture him, we can find out more about him and his brother. Snape's position would be safer as well if the plan goes accordingly. However, we cannot underestimate this boy. If he is already a Death Eater and capable of using dark magic, he must be a prodigy in magic; the same must be true for his brother, but in Potions. These two boys are not ordinary children. As young as they are, if we underestimate them, it's over."

"We understand, Albus," Lily said. "But I don't like the idea of fighting and capturing a child."

"None of us do," Dumbledore said. "I despise the fact that Voldemort would recruit such young children into his ranks...but this is war. War does many horrid things."

Fred and George motioned for them to give the strings back. They did so and the Weasley twins quickly winded up the Extendable Ears. They rushed up the stairs quietly before crashing into their room.

"I can't believe it," Eric said. "You-Know-Who is recruiting children into his army now? How terrible can he get?!"

"As terrible as it sounds, Dumbledore was right about one thing," Alex said. "We're on the verge of a war and You-Know-Who would do anything, even recruit children to fight, kill, and die for him."

"But you heard what they said! Dumbledore said that those two kids joined You-Know-Who of their own free will!" Ron exclaimed. "Who does that?!"

"There's no doing anything about it," Harry said. "Those two boys made their decision."

Ron opened his mouth to say something else, but Eric stopped him.

"They're right, Ron," Eric said. "The most we can do now is fight; we'll eventually have to. You-Know-Who will strike sooner or later and we all have to be ready to fight for our lives."

Ron looked away, nodding reluctantly.

"Let's go tell Hermione and Ginny what we found out," Eric said.

"We'll stay here," Alex said.

The other four nodded and left the room. As soon as they were out of earshot, Harry flicked his hand, putting up a silencing spell once more. He giggled.

"How interesting," he said. "The Order wishes to capture you, Alex."

"They won't succeed," Alex said, scoffing. "I won't go on the next raid."

"Ah, but then they'll be suspicious," Harry said, poking his twin in the arm. "You've always been on the raids during the summer, especially the bigger ones, and the Order knows that. I mean, if it's a smaller raid, they'll send in the Aurors to take care of it. But if the Inner Circle got involved, the Order will get involved. Those raids are the ones you've always been a part of. If you don't turn up for the next big one, they'll know they have a mole."

"Then what do you suggest I do?" Alex gritted out, crossing his arms.

"I'll figure something out, but you will have to go on the next raid once we get back," Harry said. "When the next raid hits, the Order will be in a frenzy no doubt. I'll cover for you while you go participate in it."

"Cover for me how?" Alex asked, narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Oh, I'll just say you're sick or something," Harry said cheerfully.

Alex's eye twitched.

"You're unbearable," he hissed.

"You like me anyways," Harry giggled.

Alex made to grab at his neck, but Harry sprang out of the way. He giggled again before tutting at his twin.

"Control yourself, dear brother," he said. "Now then, let's go explore the house, shall we?"

Alex raised an eyebrow.

"We still have a Horcrux to find, remember?" Harry stated.

Alex sighed and nodded. Harry took down the silencing spell as they walked out. The house was very old and some sections were falling apart.

"How dreadful," Alex muttered, glancing around.

"Ooh look! The library! I'm sure there are many books in there!" Harry exclaimed.

Alex grabbed him, glaring at him pointedly. Harry pouted.

"I'll look at it later then," he relented.

They walked past a portrait.

"YOU! FILTHY MUDBLOODS!" A lanky, dark-haired woman in the portrait screeched. "DIRTYING MY HOUSE, HOW DARE YOU?! DIE!"

The woman continued to screech and sneer at them. Alex gritted his teeth, feeling a headache coming on.

"Shut up," he snarled.

The portrait halted in the profanities and insults out of surprise of the harsh tone. Harry leaned down to read the name of the portrait. He smirked.

"Walburga Black," he said, looking up to see the woman.

Walburga scowled at him.

"Why are you screeching at us?" Harry asked.

"I refuse to have you filthy mudbloods in my house," Walburga spat. "Get out of here! This is the ancestral home of the Ancient and Noble House of Black! And that despicable boy that dares calls himself a Black just gives this home to the Light Side?! He was always too soft! I should've disowned him to the point where he couldn't even call himself Sirius Black!"

"Ah, so you're Sirius's mother," Harry nodded. "I can see the resemblance."

"Don't take that tone with me, boy!" Walburga snarled.

"Silence, both of you," Alex ordered. "Your bickering is making my headache worse."

Harry and Walburga looked at him in unison.

"Sorry, Alex," Harry said.

"Who are you two?" Walburga asked. "Something tells me you are not mere children."

"What makes you think that?" Harry asked, tilting his head.

"He seems too mature to be a mere brat," Walburga, nodding at Alex before turning to Harry. "And you, your eyes have a tinge of instability in them."

"Oh my, she's good," Harry said, chuckling. "Alex, why don't we tell her? Surely she'll know what we're looking for."

Harry's smile grew into a cruel smirk.

"After all, she knows this house better than anyone else."


	32. Chapter 32

**Happy New Year, everyone!**

* * *

**Chapter 32**

Walburga watched them suspiciously.

"Very well, but be quick about it," Alex said.

"First things first, Walburga, you must never tell a single thing we tell you to anyone else," Harry said. "If you do, permanent sticking charm or not, I will destroy you."

Walburga's onyx colored eyes narrowed. She knew his words were not an empty threat. She could feel something off about both boys...but while she could tell the blue-eyed twin was dark and powerful, the green-eyed boy felt more dangerous...like a predator constantly watching their prey. It sent shivers through Walburga, despite her being only a portrait.

"Very well, I will not tell anyone," Walburga said. "As if I would want to tell those filthy mudbloods anything."

A silencing charm surrounded them. Walburga felt it even through the portrait and looked around in surprise.

"Just a safety precaution," Harry said. "We can't have anyone listening to this conversation. You never know who could be listening~"

"Get on with it," Alex said, slightly irritated now.

"Our true names are Alex and Harry Riddle," Harry said. "We are the sons of the Dark Lord Voldemort."

Walburga's eyes widened in shock.

"I-Impossible!" she exclaimed.

"If that isn't proof enough, then here," Harry said.

Harry grabbed Alex's left arm and slid the sleeve up, banishing the wrappings with a wordless spell. Walburga's eyes bugged out when she saw the Dark Mark on Alex's wrist.

"Satisfied?" Harry asked.

Walburga grinned crazily.

"Very," she said. "But I never thought the Dark Lord would willingly have children."

"He only wanted one heir, but he got him too," Alex said, pointing at Harry with his free arm.

"So mean," Harry pouted.

Alex took his arm back, wandlessly replacing the wrappings and rolling the sleeve back down.

"Why are you here with the Order?" Walburga asked. "And how did you get in?"

"It wasn't easy," Alex said. "It took us three years to plan the entire thing out, but now, they trust us enough to at least stay in the house for a few weeks. They currently believe our home life isn't the best, to put it shortly."

"And so they took pity on our poor souls and gave us refuge for a few weeks until we are forced to come back home until fourth year," Harry exclaimed dramatically.

Alex rolled his eyes and whacked Harry on the head.

"Ow!" Harry yelped, rubbing his head.

"How interesting," Walburga said. "Your plan must've taken meticulous planning and time to work. I am very impressed. Who came up with this plan?"

"I did," Harry said.

"You must be a genius, child," Walburga said. "The Dark Lord is lucky to have such a person in his ranks."

"He doesn't think so," Harry muttered under his breath.

Only Alex heard him, but he did nothing.

"Tell me, what do you need? I will help you." Walburga said eagerly.

"We are on a mission to find a special locket," Harry said. "You wouldn't happen to know where it is, would you?"

"You mean Slytherin's locket?" Walburga asked. "Of course I know where it is. The Dark Lord has sent you to retrieve it before the Order can find it then?"

"...More or less," Harry said.

Walburga didn't notice his hesitation.

"l have been keeping that locket safe since my youngest son, Regulas, hid it in here," she said. "But now, it can go back to its rightful owner!"

Walburga pointed down the hallway.

"Down that hallway, there is a small room, it is hidden in there," she said. "I don't know where exactly, but I know it is in that room."

"Thank you, Walburga," Harry said, bowing his head.

"Anything for the Dark Lord," Walburga said, cackling. "And don't worry, I won't tell a soul about what you've told me!"

The twins walked towards the indicated room. It was dusty and messy and absolutely crowded with items.

"You're going to make us search this entire room, aren't you?" Alex asked dully.

"No need, Alex," Harry said. "Search for dark magic. Horcruxes are of a very dark magic, darkest of the darkest. And we are very in tune with dark magic, right?"

Alex grunted in acknowledgement and stretched out his magic. The twins simultaneously found a pulse of dark magic. Drawn towards it, they walked over to the far corner of the room. Alex banished the dust and Harry opened a box. A dark golden colored locket laid in the box. It had emerald green gems set in the cover of it in the shape of an S.

"Salazar Slytherin's locket," Harry breathed.

He reached out to touch it, but was stopped by a hand grabbing his wrist. The twins looked over to the old house elf attached to the hand.

"What are you two doing here?" the house elf asked. "The young master, Regulus Black, ordered me to guard that locket with my life since neither he nor I could destroy it. Do you know what that is?"

"We know perfectly well what it is," Alex said. "We're taking it back to where it belongs."

"You're Kreacher, right? I heard about you from Sirius," Harry said, smiling kindly.

His smile twisted into a dark sadistic grin, making Kreacher take an involuntary step back. Harry's slit glowing sickly green eyes pierced into him.

"You're not going to stop us from taking this locket, little house elf," Harry said in a deadly tone. "It doesn't belong to you. If you attempt anything, I'll kill you."

Harry snatched the locket up.

"Let's go, Alex," he said.

Harry paused and glanced back at Kreacher.

"And one more thing, Kreacher," he said.

Kreacher looked at him, a tinge of fear in his eyes.

"One word about any of this and I will use you for my experiments," Harry said.

He grinned psychotically.

"I've never experimented on a house elf before. Only rodents and the occasional human," Harry said, cackling. "So, don't give me an excuse to add house elf to my list of species I've experimented on~"

The twins left the room, leaving a shaking house elf behind. Alex closed the door while Harry pocketed the locket.

"Alex, Harry?"

The twins stiffened and turned to see the trio standing there, looking at them in confusion.

"What were you doing in there?" Hermione asked.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

The twins blinked, not saying anything.

"Well? What were you doing in there?" Ron repeated.

"We were just exploring," Harry said.

"I saw you put something in your pocket," Eric said.

"Oh this?" Harry asked, pulling out the locket.

Alex glanced at it and noticed the priceless green gems on the locket were gone. It looked like a normal locket, not Slytherin's locket; no doubt Harry's doing.

"I saw this locket and thought it looked cool. I already checked it for dark magic. It didn't react and I don't feel any curses on me, so I think it's safe," Harry said, smiling innocently.

Harry dangled the locket from his fingers.

"I thought it would make a nice gift for our mother so she won't be too hard on us...you know, for not coming home straight away," he said.

The trio hid a wince at that, believing Harry's lie without hesitation.

"I understand," Hermione said, smiling. "But maybe you should ask Sirius if you can take it; it is his house after all."

"I will," Harry said, his smile widening.

"What are you guys doing up here?" Alex asked.

"We've been looking for you," Ron said. "Mum wants us all in bed by a certain time, says there's another meeting soon. She doesn't want to risk us eavesdropping after she found Fred and George's Extendable Ears."

"Where's Sirius? I'll ask him about the locket now," Harry said.

"He's downstairs," Eric said.

The trio went down first with the twins following at a slower pace. They glanced at each other and relaxed in unison.

"That was too close," Alex hissed quietly. "What are we going to do if Sirius or the others want to check the locket for dark magic?"

"Don't worry, I have a plan for that," Harry breathed, smirking.

They reached the bottom of the stairs. They saw Sirius in the kitchen talking to James.

"Sirius!" Harry called.

Sirius looked over as the twins ran over to them. Harry pulled out the locket, still disguised as a normal locket.

"We found this in a room. I didn't detect dark magic from it, so I think it's fine. Would it be okay if I took it as a gift for our mother?" Harry asked.

Sirius frowned and took the locket.

"I don't remember seeing this locket in the house before," he said.

He shrugged.

"I guess my dear old mum got it when I ran away," Sirius said. "Hang on, I'll use some more complex spells to check it for dark magic and if it's fine, you guys can take it. I don't care for anything in this house anyways; I'll probably get rid of everything eventually."

Sirius set the locket on the table and pulled out his wand. Alex tensed up slightly. Harry caught his hand and gave him a warning look. Alex forced himself to relax as Sirius chanted and waved his wand over the locket. After a few tense moments, Sirius lowered his wand and picked up the locket.

"Looks like it's safe," he said. "It'll be a lovely gift for your mother."

"Thank you," Harry said, smiling sweetly.

Sirius smiled back and gave the locket back to Harry.

"You two should go off to bed now," James said, smiling as well. "It's getting pretty late."

"Good night," Harry called as the twins left.

Sirius and James waved before resuming their conversation. The twins walked upstairs.

"How did you do it?" Alex asked quietly.

Harry giggled softly as he pulled out the locket and then pulled out another one. Alex could feel the dark magic radiating from the second locket.

"You knew this would happen," Alex stated.

He smirked and shook his head.

"You were always too smart for your own good, Harry."

Harry giggled again as he tucked the lockets back into his pockets.

"We'll have to leave soon. We can't keep the locket's dark magical signature hidden forever," he hissed.

"How much longer can you keep it hidden?" Alex muttered.

"10 days at most," Harry muttered back.

Alex nodded.

"We'll leave in a week then."

* * *

"We've finally received word from Snape," James said at dinner.

"That's a relief," Molly said. "I was worried something happened to him."

"Apparently You-Know-Who was keeping him busy brewing potions," James said. "He won't be able to make it back until next week."

"Hang on, the full moon is in two days," Lily said.

Remus froze before sighing.

"I'll go somewhere else. It's too dangerous for me to be around people during the full moon," he said.

"Don't bother," Harry said.

Everyone looked at him. Harry smiled.

"Have you forgotten already, professor? I know how to brew the Wolfsbane Potion," he said. "Since Professor Snape won't be here to brew it for you, I will take his place. I've already brewed it for you a few times in the past year."

Remus sighed.

"That's true," he said. "Thank you, Harry."

"How is it you know potions so well, Harry?" Lily asked.

"I just have a real knack for it," Harry said.

"Are you sure you're not hungry, Harry? You haven't eaten anything today and you barely ate anything yesterday," Molly said, frowning in concern.

"Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Weasley, but really, I am not hungry," Harry said, smiling kindly at Molly.

"Well, if you get hungry later on, feel free to help yourself to the leftovers," Molly said.

Harry nodded.

"All right then, it's settled," Sirius said, changing the topic back to the previous one. "Harry will take care of you, Remus, buddy."

Remus smiled in thanks to Harry.

"I really do appreciate it, Harry; thank you again," he said.

"No problem; it gives me a chance to brew potions," Harry said, waving his hand.

"Hermione has spoken of you a lot." Lily said. "You are a very bright child; same with you, Alex."

"Harry was born a genius. I was born somewhat book smart," Alex said.

"Don't discredit yourself, Alex," Hermione said. "You've helped me loads of times."

"Harry is the one who taught me most of what I know today," Alex said.

"I taught you the basics; nothing else," Harry said. "You learned everything else on your own."

"Amazing," Lily said, smiling. "You truly are something, both of you are. Are you planning to stay the entire summer?"

"Unfortunately, we can't stay for much longer or our parents will be angry with us," Alex said. "We've decided we're going home next week."

"Next week? So soon?" Sirius asked. "Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"We'll be fine," Harry said. "We've already been here for little over a month and we'll see you all again for fourth year. It's been fun!"

"If you say so..." Lily said, sighing. "At least say you'll come again next summer...perhaps even winter break?"

"I think next summer will be fine," Alex said. "Perhaps we'll be able to stay longer too."

"That would be lovely," Lily said, nodding in acceptance.

"Deserts, anyone?" Molly asked.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

A week passed by quickly. Soon, it was time for the twins to leave.

"Are you sure you have to leave?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Alex said. "Don't worry; we'll stay in touch."

"And we'll see you next year," Harry said.

Hermione sighed and hugged the twins.

"I'm going to miss you guys," she said. "I know it'll only be for a couple months, but I'll still miss you."

"Take care, you two," Remus said. "And be careful; Death Eaters are out there and could attack anywhere at any time."

"We know," the twins chorused.

"Professor, will you be at Hogwarts next year?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I'll still be teaching DADA with Sirius," Remus said, smiling. "After all, Sirius is terrible when it comes to teaching."

"Oi! I did just fine when these guys were in first year!" Sirius protested.

Remus rolled his eyes. Harry chuckled.

"If you need any Wolfsbane potion and Professor Snape isn't here to make it, just owl me," Harry said.

"Will do, Harry," Remus said. "But you don't need to go that far for me. You're still a child."

"A genius child," Harry said. "And professor, I have taken a liking to you and I consider you a friend now. That's very rare for me."

"We should be going now," Alex said.

"Got everything?" Lily asked.

"Yes," Alex said, nodding curtly.

"Yep!" Harry said cheerfully.

"Where are you going? Is anyone picking you up?" Lily asked.

"Our parents are meeting us at Diagon Alley and then they'll Apparate us home," Alex said.

"All right, stay safe, be careful, don't get involved in anything dangerous," Lily said sternly.

Lily hugged them tightly.

"We'll see you two next year," she said, smiling.

The twins nodded. Alex took some Floo powder.

"Diagon Alley," he stated, throwing the powder down.

He disappeared in a flash of emerald green flames.

"Bye bye!" Harry said cheerfully as he stepped into the fireplace.

"Bye!" everyone chorused.

"Diagon Alley!"

* * *

Alex dragged Harry away from the bookstore entrance. As soon as the younger twin had dusted all the ash off his robes, he had made a mad dash to the bookstore.

Harry whined as he struggled.

"Shut up," Alex said. "I know a better place you can get books from."

That got Harry's attention quickly.

"Where?!" he demanded.

"Where else? Knockturn Alley," Alex said, rolling his eyes. "But we'll have to go there later; we have to get back to the manor. Father is expecting us."

Harry pouted but nodded. They ducked behind some boxes and in unison, they Apparated out of the alley, unseen by the crowds.

They appeared in the hallways of the large dark Riddle Manor.

"Home sweet home," Harry deadpanned.

"Let's go," Alex said, ignoring his twin's comment.

They went to the throne room. Voldemort was speaking to his Inner Circle. The twins kept to the shadows. Nagini saw them and hissed something to Voldemort. Voldemort glanced over.

"Dismissed," he said.

The Inner Circle swept out of the throne room and the doors soon slammed shut.

"Alexander, Harrison," Voldemort said.

The twins came out of the shadows and walked forward. Once they were in front of their father, they bowed.

"Rise and give me your report," Voldemort said.

Alex and Harry stood up.

"We've successfully infiltrated the Order, father," Alex said.

"I suppose that's where you've been for the past month," Voldemort stated.

"Yes, father," Alex said.

Alex stepped back slightly, glancing at Harry. Harry stepped forward, digging the locket from his pocket. He held it up, the small green jewels sparkling in the dim light. Voldemort's crimson red eyes widened slightly.

"Where did you get that?" he asked coldly.

"Number 12 Grimmauld Place," Harry said. "It is one of your Horcruxes, isn't it, father?"

"I never told you about my other Horcruxes. How did you find out about this one?" Voldemort demanded.

Harry hesitated.

"Just tell him, Harry; no use keeping it secret now," Alex said.

Harry nodded, albeit he was still a little hesitant.

"Father, I know about all your Horcruxes. I have from the very beginning," Harry said. "Part of the reason why we infiltrated the Order was to retrieve this locket before the Order found out about it."

"I see...you truly are too smart for your own good, Harrison," Voldemort said, disdain clear in his voice. "And what of the diadem?"

"Oh, I almost forgot about that," Harry said.

Harry summoned the diadem and it appeared in his hand.

"Here it is," he said.

"Anything else you wish to report?" Voldemort asked.

"That is all for now, father," Alex said.

"Leave the diadem and locket on the ground. You two are dismissed," Voldemort said.

Harry set the diadem and locket on the ground before following Alex out of the throne room. They walked to the lab. Once they were in the safety of the lab, Harry burst out into laughter.

"Did you see his face, Alex? He looked almost frightened!" Harry exclaimed.

"We need to be careful from here on out," Alex said. "Father now knows that we know about all seven of his Horcruxes."

"Still, his expression... so vulnerable," Harry said darkly.

Harry cackled, his sickly green eyes glowing vividly. Alex just watched him, emotionless.

"Father is very easily manipulated, don't you think, Alex?"

Alex huffed and looked away, but Harry knew his twin agreed with him.

* * *

"I have decided we are not going to do the House Cup this year," Dumbledore said.

"What? Then what are we going to do?" James asked.

"The Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore said.

"Triwizard Tournament?" Lily asked. "Didn't a student die last time?"

"Er...I'm pretty sure they just got severely injured...they should still be alive," Dumbledore said, looking away awkwardly.

"Albus," Molly said, crossing her arms. "This tournament is highly dangerous. You're going to have children participate in this?"

"Of course not, Molly dear," Dumbledore said. "There will be an age line. Students under 17 will not be allowed to enter their names into the tournament."

Molly scowled but seemed content with the restriction.

"The students won't like this," James said.

"Two other schools will be coming to Hogwarts to participate in the tournament. I've already sent out the invitations and they've accepted," Dumbledore said.

"Already? And you're just telling us this now?!" Molly exclaimed, slightly angry.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, avoiding the angry woman's glare.

"Well, I just hope nothing goes wrong this year," Lily said, sighing.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

It was the opening feast for their fourth year. For once, Alex was sitting at the Slytherin table. The other Slytherins ignored him. They had gotten used to his not sitting at the table during meal times over the years, but those in his year still glared at him every once in a while. Alex paid them no mind; they were all insignificant to him and not worth the time it would take to learn and remember their names.

Dumbledore stood up and the hall quieted down.

"I have a few announcements to make," he said. "First, we shall not be holding the House Cup this year."

There were yells of protests at this. From the Gryffindor table, Oliver Wood looked distraught. Dumbledore held up his hand and the hall quieted down again, reluctantly.

"Instead of the House Cup, we will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament," he said.

There were murmurs of confusion among the students.

"Three schools participate in the tournament and three champions are chosen to represent each school. Whoever wins the tournament wins a trophy, eternal glory, and a prize of 1000 Galleons. The tournament consists of three tasks, each more difficult than the last." Dumbledore paused to breathe. "The two other schools who will be participating in the tournament are Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute," he said. "They will be arriving in two days time and they will be remaining here at Hogwarts throughout the year. That's all for now; please enjoy the feast."

* * *

Two days later, the delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang arrived in a carriage pulled by pegasi and a large ship that burst from the Black Lake, respectively. Later that night, the two schools performed their welcoming performances before sitting randomly at the four tables. Food was delivered to the tables and students from all three schools starting eating, the tension breaking after a while. After they'd stuffed themselves with desserts, some Hogwarts students had never seen before, Dumbledore stood up and got their attention.

"Now, I'm sure you are all wondering how the champions for the three schools will be chosen," Dumbledore said.

He gestured to a tall golden structure beside him. The gold-colored wall melted away, revealing a tall goblet with blue fire burning within it.

"The Goblet of Fire," Dumbledore said. "Those of age who wish to participate in the tournament may enter a slip of paper with their name on it into the goblet. On the day of the choosing of champions, it will spit the champion's name out."

Dumbledore looked at them all, eyes serious now.

"I will tell you all this now. Only students 17 and older may enter their names," he said. "You may not ask an older student to put your name into the goblet. For safety precautions, an age line has been placed around the goblet to ensure only of-age candidates are able to place their names into the goblet. As for those who are chosen for the tournament, you may not back out of the tasks at any time. Once you have been chosen, you must compete in the entire tournament or there will be dire consequences. Think carefully before placing your name into the goblet."

Dumbledore sat back down. A few moments later, a student from Beauxbatons stepped through the age line and placed her name into the goblet. After her, a student from Durmstrang did the same.

"That's Viktor Krum," Ron hissed excitedly. "He's a famous Quidditch player! I can't believe he's actually here in front of me!"

"Why are you telling us this?" Alex asked in a bored tone.

The twins were sitting next to the trio as they watched Cedric Diggory put his name into the goblet.

"You guys need to get into Quidditch," Ron grumbled. He perked up a second later. "I wish I could enter the tournament. If I won, I would have eternal glory! And 1000 Galleons!"

"You can't enter the tournament. You're only fourteen," Hermione reminded him.

"I said I wish I could enter; I didn't say I was going to try to," Ron retorted.

Suddenly, the doors to the Great Hall burst open and a man with a peg leg and strange eye came in, drinking from a flask. As he did so, he glanced around in a paranoid manner as he walked down the aisle. Dumbledore welcomed him with a smile and twinkling eyes.

"Ah Alastor Moody, thank you for coming," Dumbledore said.

"I had nothing else to do," Moody replied, placing the flask into his jacket.

"That's Mad-Eye Moody," Ron hissed. "He's a former Auror and now he's part of the Order."

"What's he doing here?" Eric whispered.

"Probably because of the tournament," Hermione whispered.

"I've seen him a couple times, but he still scares me," Ron muttered.

Alex rolled his eyes and turned to his twin. Harry was staring at Moody with a strange glint in his eyes. Alex leaned in towards the younger twin.

"What's wrong?" Alex whispered.

Harry looked at him. "Something's not right about that guy," he whispered back. "He smells weird."

"You can smell something from all the way here?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow in slight disbelief.

"With practice and a couple of experiments on enhancing my senses, of course," Harry said.

He turned back to continue studying Moody.

"What does he smell like?" Alex asked.

"A potion," Harry said. "It isn't one I brew too often, but it is familiar enough. There are too many scents in the hall for me to confirm it though. I'll need to get closer to investigate."

Alex sighed softly.

"Don't get caught," he said.

"I would never, Alex," Harry said, looking offended. "This is me we're talking about."

Alex grunted in response. Harry tilted his head.

"You aren't going to try to stop me?"

"There's no point," Alex said, taking a sip of his tea. "You would do it anyways."

Harry chuckled.

"You know me so well, Alex."

* * *

That night, a dark figure went into the Great Hall. The hall was only lit up by the blue fire of the goblet. Just before the figure could step past the age line, there were soft footsteps behind them.

"So, you aren't Moody after all," Harry said, smirking.

The figure turned around. Harry's smirk grew.

"Barty Crouch Jr," he confidently intoned.

Barty narrowed his eyes at him and whipped his wand out, pointing it at Harry.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Calm down, junior," Harry said, holding up his hands. "You wouldn't attack a defenseless kid, would you?"

Barty tensed up and Harry knew he was about to fling a spell at him. Harry lashed his hand out and tore Barty's wand out of his hand. Barty's eyes widened in shock. Harry caught the wand effortlessly.

"Let's have a civilized talk," Harry said, rolling the piece of wood between his fingers. "You wouldn't want to draw attention to yourself, right?"

Barty reluctantly relaxed, but his eyes watched Harry constantly.

"So, I know you are a Death Eater, therefore the only reason why you would be here is if the Dark Lord sent you here," Harry said. "The real Moody must have been captured and he's being held somewhere."

Harry held up something in his hand. Barty growled when he recognized the item as his flask. Harry opened the top and sniffed.

"Polyjuice," he said. "It was so familiar in the Great Hall during the feast, but I couldn't quite place it with all the different smells. That means you have Moody somewhere where you can keep getting his hairs for the Polyjuice potion."

"How do you know that?" Barty asked.

"I've brewed potions all my life," Harry said. "Of course I would be able to tell which potion is which. Now then, tell me why you are here."

Barty tensed up again.

"Why should I?" he demanded.

"I could easily out you to Dumbledore here and now. All I have to do is run and get the nearest professor. It only takes a little bit of acting," Harry said, casually checking his nails.

"Are you blackmailing me, boy?" Barty growled, taking a step forward.

Harry held up Barty's wand in a hand.

"Careful there, Barty, you wouldn't want me to break your wand, right?" he asked slyly.

Barty froze in his tracks.

"Tell me why you're here," Harry said. "I can easily deduce it, but this is easier."

"Who are you?" Barty demanded. "You are no ordinary kid."

"Let's just say I have an affiliation with the Dark Lord and leave it at that," Harry said.

"You could be lying," Barty said.

"Tick tock," Harry said. "The longer we stay here, the more likely you will be caught."

"You'll be caught too," Barty said smugly.

"No, I'll be labeled a victim of a Death Eater who managed to sneak into the castle," Harry said. "You are considered a madman and so nobody would believe anything you say, Barty Crouch Jr."

Harry chuckled darkly. Barty glared at him murderously, his fists clenched so hard they were bleeding.

"Fine, I'll tell you," Barty gritted out. "The Dark Lord has sent me to enter Potter's name into the tournament."

"Oh? How interesting. I thought that might be the case," Harry said.

"You knew and you still had me tell you?!" Barty snarled in rage.

Harry bent Barty's wand a little as a warning. That stopped any sort of rampage Barty was on the verge of.

"I had a hunch; that's all. You confirmed it," Harry said in a light voice. "There's no reason to get upset. So, the Dark Lord wants to confront Eric Potter...or he wants to get rid of him, seeing how dangerous this tournament will be. If Potter gets chosen by the goblet, he'll have no choice but to participate in the tournament."

Harry sighed in amusement. He tossed Barty's wand back. Barty caught it and pointed it at him immediately, opening his mouth to say a spell.

"Don't bother; I'll just block it," Harry said, walking to the door. "Focus on your mission, Barty. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about you."

Harry paused and looked over his shoulder. Barty hadn't moved a muscle, his eyes locked on Harry.

"If you need any more Polyjuice potion, I'd be happy to make it for you," Harry smirked slyly. "Bye bye~"


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

It was the day the champions would be chosen. Everyone was buzzing in excitement. Alex grumbled in boredom. He looked at Harry, who was humming cheerfully.

"You know, you never did tell me what happened with Moody," Alex said, making sure to keep his voice low.

Harry looked at him.

"Oh that...you'll see very soon," he replied, eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Just what are you planning now?" Alex scowled slightly.

Harry chuckled as he glanced at the goblet.

"It's starting," he said.

As if on cue, the goblet began hissing, the blue fire turning red. Everyone hushed as Dumbledore approached the goblet. It abruptly flared up and a piece of paper was spit out of the fire. Dumbledore caught it and unfolded it, careful to avoid the burnt edges of the paper.

"From Beauxbatons, Fleur Delacour," he called.

There was applause as the champion for Beauxbatons came forward. Dumbledore smiled at her and motioned for her to go into the other room. Fleur disappeared in the room just as the goblet flared up again. Dumbledore caught the next piece of paper and everyone quieted down again.

"From Durmstrang, Viktor Krum," Dumbledore called.

There were cheers as the champion for Durmstrang pumped his fist into the air as he walked forward. He disappeared into the other room as well.

"And finally, the Hogwarts champion is..." Dumbledore paused.

He caught the third slip of paper.

"Cedric Diggory!" Dumbledore announced.

There were more cheers as Cedric waved with a sheepish smile on his face before he disappeared into the other room.

"Well then, I will be off to explain the tasks to the champions. That's it for now," Dumbledore said.

"Waste of time," Alex muttered, turning to leave.

"The show's not over yet, Alex," Harry said.

Alex paused and looked at his twin.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Harry gave him a secretive smile.

"Wait and see," he said.

A split second later, the goblet hissed. Everyone looked at it in surprise. Dumbledore's eyes were wide as a fourth slip of paper was spit out of the goblet. Dumbledore caught it and opened it. He was silent for several long tense seconds. The entire hall was silent, waiting for Dumbledore to announce the name. Dumbledore looked at them, his eyes not twinkling.

"Eric Potter," he called.

Everyone turned to look at Eric. Eric looked shocked and confused.

"Eric Potter, please come forward," Dumbledore said.

Eric stood up and came forward hesitantly.

"Please go into the other room with the other champions," Dumbledore said.

"Headmaster, I didn't enter my name into the tournament," Eric protested.

"Just do it," Dumbledore said. "We'll sort it out."

Eric frowned but consented. Dumbledore looked at the goblet suspiciously before following Eric into the other room.

"How unexpected~" Harry said, smirking. "I wasn't expecting that~"

"Quit it, you knew all along what was going to happen," Alex said.

"Whatever do you mean?" Harry asked, tilting his head in an innocent fashion.

He smiled a cat-like grin. Alex grabbed his twin by the collar and roughly dragged him out of the hall. Alex pulled Harry behind a pillar and casted a Notice-Me-Not charm and a silencing spell over them. He slammed Harry against the wall, making the younger grunt.

"So violent," Harry muttered.

Alex pressed the tip of his wand against Harry's pale throat.

"What did you do?" he asked coldly.

"What makes you think I had anything to do with this?" Harry replied.

"You knew Potter was going to be chosen. There's no way you could've entered his name into the goblet because of the age line. It's time you told me what's going," Alex said.

"Smart observation, brother," Harry purred, cackling slightly.

Alex's wand dug into his throat, making Harry choke slightly.

"I don't have the patience to deal with you any longer." Alex said in a low deadly tone. "You can't keep it from me forever. You never could with anything."

"No, I can't," Harry agreed, serious now. "We are not the only spies father sent to Hogwarts this year."

"Spy?"

"Well...not exactly a spy, more like a stand-in...no, that doesn't sound quite right," Harry frowned thoughtfully.

"Harry..." Alex growled. "Don't test me right now."

"All right, calm down," Harry said. "At least pull your wand back a little; I'm choking a little."

Alex raised an eyebrow but did so.

"The Moody we see at Hogwarts is actually one of father's most loyal followers in disguise, Barty Crouch Jr. The real Moody is being kept somewhere secure but accessible since Barty needs his hair for the Polyjuice potion," Harry said. "Barty was the one who put Potter's name in the goblet."

"I see," Alex said.

Alex pulled his wand away and released his twin.

"Why didn't father tell us he was sending that moron here?" he muttered.

"Perhaps he knew I would figure it out quickly," Harry said, adjusting his scarf. "Father knows about the tournament, most likely through Snape."

"Speaking of Snape, what are we going to do about him?" Alex asked. "He's served his purpose."

"We can't kill him yet. If he dies just after vouching for us to the Order, we'll be suspected to at least having a part in his death," Harry said.

"Not if he was killed during a raid," Alex growled.

Harry studied his twin for a few seconds.

"You seem very on edge today, dear brother. No wonder you almost cursed me a few seconds earlier," he said. "Your self-restraint is quite admirable."

Alex's eye twitched.

"Don't push it," he gritted his teeth.

"Leave it to me, Alex; I'll get you something to vent your anger out on," Harry said. "After all, we wouldn't want you to do something you'll regret later."

Harry chuckled as he walked out from behind the pillar. Alex took a few seconds to compose himself before joining his twin, dispelling the spells hiding them.

* * *

Eric groaned in frustration.

"What am I going to do?! I can't get out of the tournament! But I never wanted to be in the tournament in the first place!" he exclaimed, burying his face into his hands.

"You have no choice but to participate," Hermione said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You heard what Professor Dumbledore said about the goblet and the tournament. You have to do all three tasks and if you try to back out, there'll be dire consequences."

"Look on the bright side, mate. If you win the tournament, you get eternal glory...and 1000 Galleons." Ron said.

"Ron, not helping," Hermione exclaimed, glaring at the redhead. "Do you even know what this tournament is?"

"Er...all I know is that it's dangerous," Ron said, wincing as Hermione's glare intensified.

"It is extremely dangerous. The last time it was held, a student died," Harry spoke up. "Each task is more dangerous than the last. It is a huge event and the 'eternal glory' lasts for a long time, that is if you don't get yourself killed first."

"You seem to know a lot about the tournament," Eric said, looking up at the green eyed twin.

They were sitting in the Great Hall. It was early morning, so barely anyone was there since it was so early; not to mention it was Sunday.

"I researched it. After all, knowledge is power," Harry said, holding up a finger.

Hermione nodded in agreement.

"But the tasks are dangerous, so wouldn't you need more strength and power than knowledge?" Ron asked.

"My, a simple creature you are, Weasley," Harry said.

Ron bristled in rage.

"Knowledge is going into each task, knowing exactly what you will be facing. If you know what you're facing, you can find the weak spot and use it to your advantage to achieve the objective of the task. Your way, Weasley, is going into each task without any clue of the dangers. You will inevitably end up dead...or just severely injured if you're lucky," Harry said. "Having strength and power is a bonus to help you achieve your objective."

"What Harry's trying to say is you should find out what the first task is so you'll be prepared for it," Hermione said.

"Precisely," Harry said.

"I don't even know where to start," Eric said.

"You have an invisibility cloak, don't you?" Harry asked. "Use it."

"I can't just use it. Do you know how rare invisibility cloaks are? Plus, I'll get in trouble!" Eric exclaimed.

Harry sighed. Alex huffed in amusement.

"Such simple minded beings," Harry said. "Hermione, how do you deal with these two?"

Hermione chuckled.

"You get used to it," she said.

"Oh yeah, I should mention that while you need to prepare for the three tasks, you also need to prepare for the Yule Ball," Harry said.

"Yule Ball? What's that?" Ron asked.

"It's exactly what it sounds like. A ball in the winter, at Yule," Harry said, taking a sip of his tea. "All the champions are expected to have a date with them and dance at the ball...so good luck with that."

Harry grabbed his bookbag and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Eric asked.

"Off to have a chat with a professor," Harry said. "Alex, I'll meet up with you later."

Alex grunted in acknowledgement.

* * *

The first task was drawing closer and closer now.

"Eric, you haven't done anything to figure out what the first task is! You're going into this blindly!" Hermione exclaimed. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

"You're more worried about this than I am! And that's saying something because I'm panicking!" Eric retorted.

"Keep your voices down," Alex said. "We're in the library."

Hermione sighed and sank into her chair.

"Sorry, this is stressing me out," she said, rubbing her head. "I'm just worried for you, Eric."

"I'll just deal with whatever the first task is. I'm sure it won't be too bad," Eric said, trying to sound convincing.

Hermione made a noise that sounded like a mixture of anger and disbelief.

"Hey, Eric," a soft voice sounded from behind them.

The group of five turned to see Cedric.

"Cedric? What are you doing here?" Eric asked, blinking in surprise.

"Can I speak to you for a moment? In private?" Cedric asked instead.

Eric blinked before nodding. He stood up and walked away with Cedric. Cedric glanced around for eavesdroppers before leaning in.

"I know what the first task is," Cedric whispered.

Eric's eyes widened.

"Are you sure you want to tell me? I mean, we're technically rivals," Eric whispered back, uncertain.

"We're both the Hogwarts champions. Plus, I heard about it from Fleur, so I think it's okay. I think Viktor knows about it too, so it's only fair you know as well," Cedric said.

"All right," Eric said, nodding. "What's the first task?"

Cedric looked around warily once more before leaning in closer to whisper into Eric's ear.

"The first task is...dragons."


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

It was the day of the first task. Eric was a puddle of anxiety as he waited inside the tent with the other champions. He could hear cheering outside in the arena.

"Dragons, dragons," he muttered.

"Eric, you need to calm down," Cedric said.

"Yeah," Eric said, nodding. "I-I think I'm feeling a little lightheaded."

"Honestly Potter, we leave you for one second and you're a mess," Harry said, abruptly coming out of nowhere.

Hermione followed him into the tent.

"What?" Eric asked, blinking in bewilderment.

"I'm just teasing you; trying to lighten the mood a little," Harry said. "Here, drink this; it's a Calming Draught. It'll calm you down before you hyperventilate."

Harry held out a small vial.

"A-are you sure? Wouldn't this count as cheating?" Eric asked nervously.

"It isn't against the rules. Plus, you look like you're about to have a panic attack." Viktor said in a thick Bulgarian accent. "Drink the potion, Eric."

"I agree," Fleur said in a French accent. "We are all nervous, but if you continue like this, you will pass out and automatically get zero points for the first task."

Eric nodded and drank the potion in one go. He immediately relaxed and sighed in relief.

"Thanks, Harry," he said. "I really appreciate it."

"You'll be fine, Eric. You're good at defense," Hermione said.

She hugged him. There was a sudden flash of light. Everyone jumped slightly and turned to see Rita Skeeter.

"Ah, I can put this as...young love perhaps?" the news reporter said, smiling deviously.

She pointed to the enchanted quill and notepad hovering behind her.

"Put this as...disturbing...no maybe scandalous is more appropriate," Rita said. "If anything should be...unlucky for you, Mr. Potter, at least with this, you can make the front page. How does that sound?"

Viktor clenched his fists, looking annoyed.

"You have no business being here." he said. "This tent is for champions and friends."

Rita looked at him and smiling, playing with her fingers.

"No matter," she replied. "I got what I wanted."

The quill flicked Viktor's cheek. He slapped it away. There was another flash as the cameraman took another picture as Rita walked away. Dumbledore, Karkaroff, Madame Maxine, Filch, and Barty Crouch Sr entered the tent.

"Good day, champions," Dumbledore said. "Gather around, all of you."

The four champions moved closer. Hermione and Harry moved to the side to avoid getting trampled.

"The moment has arrived, the moment only the four of you can appreciate," Dumbledore said, looking at Hermione and Harry.

He did a double take in surprise.

"Don't mind us; we're just checking on Eric," Harry said, smiling innocently. "He was having a panic attack.

"Ah, well...thank you for your concern," Dumbledore said. "Please join the others in the stands."

Hermione and Harry waved goodbye as they left the tent.

"Barty, the bag," Dumbledore said.

Crouch Sr came forward with a sack.

"Champions, in a circle around me," Crouch Sr said, gesturing with his free hand.

The four champions did as he said. Crouch Sr arranged them to his liking.

"Now then, Miss Delacour," Crouch Sr said, holding out the bag. "If you will."

Steam rose out of the bag. Fleur reached into the bag and withdrew quickly, holding a small green dragon. Fleur looked up nervously to Madame Maxine.

"The Welsh Green," Crouch Sr said. "Next, Mr. Krum."

Viktor reached into the bag and pulled out a second small dragon that was hissing.

"The Chinese Fireball," Crouch Sr said.

He moved to Cedric.

"Mr. Diggory," he said.

Cedric reached into the bag and pulled out a dragon, the small being flapping its wings.

"The Swedish Shortsnout," Crouch Sr said. "And finally, Mr. Potter."

Eric swallowed nervously as he reached into the bag. He pulled out a dragon with spikes. It was hissing furiously.

"The Hungarian Horntail," Crouch Sr said.

The black dragon snapped at him, growling. It had bronze horns with glowing yellow feline-like eyes. Its tail was particularly menacing, with lethal spikes of varying length. Eric had no doubt the real dragon would look even more terrifying.

"These represent four very real dragons," Crouch Sr said, looking at them all. "Each of them has been given a golden egg to protect. Your objective is simple: collect the egg. Each egg contains a clue for the second task. If you don't collect the egg, you cannot proceed to the second task. Any questions?"

Everyone was silent.

"Very well," Dumbledore said. "I wish you luck, champions. Mr. Diggory, you are first."

* * *

Finally, it was Eric's turn. He gulped as he left the tent. The potion Harry had given him had worked wonders. It stopped him from having a panic attack, but he still felt nervous.

Eric stepped out into the arena when his name was announced. There were cheers of his name and then it went silent in anticipation. Eric looked around for the Horntail. Up ahead, he could see a small nest made from rocks. And within the nest of rocks, he could see the golden egg he was supposed to get. But the Horntail was nowhere to be seen.

Eric took a few steps out of the cave only to be attacked by the Horntail. The Horntail had been intimidating in its smaller form, but it was rather terrifying in its true form. Eric rolled away from the Horntail's claws. The Horntail growled angrily and sent a blast of fire towards Eric.

Eric leapt out of the way, barely missing being burnt alive. The crowd winced but leaned in, eager to see more action. Eric gripped his wand and crawled up the rocks he had landed on. The Horntail roared as it flew over. Its foot slammed down where Eric had been if he hadn't rolled out of the way in time. Everyone inhaled sharply in fear as the Horntail managed to hit Eric, sending him flying back. Eric landed in gravel.

Eric groaned. His body ached all over. The Horntail landed over the golden egg, roaring protectively. Eric stood up and ran for cover just as the Horntail released another burst of flames. Eric ducked behind a rock. He looked at his wand and thought of something happy. He stood up quickly a second later.

"Expecto Patronum!" he exclaimed, pointing his wand at the far end of the arena.

A silver stag burst from his wand and pranced away. The Horntail immediately zeroed in and leapt after the stag. Eric quickly casted a Notice-Me-Not charm on himself and ran towards the egg. He knew it would only work temporarily. He reached the rock nest and grabbed the egg. He cradled it close to his chest to make sure he didn't drop it. The Patronus disappeared as Eric ran back to the entrance. The Horntail saw him and roared angrily, charging at him. Despite the Notice-Me-Not charm, the dragon could still smell him.

Eric dodged a swipe of the Horntail's tail and ducked as the Horntail made to attack him with its jaw. He ran into the cave and a signal was called.

"Eric Potter, safe!" he heard Dumbledore announce.

There were loud cheers as the dragon keepers quickly subdued the angry Horntail. Eric sagged in relief, still clutching the egg close to him. He went into the tent where the other three champions were.

"Well done, Eric," Cedric said, smiling.

"That was unique, using a Patronus to distract the dragon. The Patronus is a very difficult spell to master too," Viktor said.

"My parents taught me it in case I ever needed it," Eric said. "But I'm glad that's over."

"Yeah," Cedric agreed.

Dumbledore and the other two schoolmasters as well as Crouch Sr entered the tent.

"Well done, all four of you," Dumbledore said. "You have all passed the first task and will be proceeding to the second task. Barty?"

"Yes," Crouch Sr said. "As of right now, Mr. Krum and Mr. Potter are tied for first place with Mr. Diggory in second place and Miss Delacour in third place. For the second task, the golden eggs you've collected hold the clue for the second task. You have until February to figure out what the clue is."

"Now then, in one month on Yule Day, the Yule Ball will be held," Dumbledore put in. "As the champions for the three schools, you are expected to participate in the ball."

The schoolmasters and Crouch Sr left soon after that.

"What do the eggs do anyways?" Fleur asked.

"Let's open one," Cedric said.

Cedric opened his egg and a horrible loud screeching noise filled the air. The other three covered their ears as best as they could while still keeping hold of their own eggs. Cedric closed his egg quickly, wincing in pain.

"What was that?!" Fleur exclaimed. "What a horrid noise!"

"In order to get the clue, we'll have to figure out what that screeching noise is first," Viktor said, grimacing.

"We have until February though. I'm going to focus on the Yule Ball first," Eric said. "We all need dates for the ball."

The other three agreed, not looking too happy.

* * *

"Eric!" Hermione shouted, lunging at her friend.

Eric hugged her back.

"I'm fine, Hermione, really. I just came from the infirmary. Madame Pomphrey made sure I didn't have any injuries," Eric said.

"Eric," Lily said from behind him.

Eric turned to look at his parents, Sirius, and Remus.

"I'm glad you're okay, but that first task almost gave me a heart attack," Lily said. "You have two more tasks, so don't do anything reckless."

"Do you need help getting a date?" Sirius asked, grinning mischievously.

"No," Eric said, rolling his eyes.

"Ask someone soon or it'll be too late," James said.

"Do I have to go to the ball? It sounds stupid," Eric grumbled.

"It's a tradition in the Triwizard Tournament," Remus said. "You don't have a lot of time, Eric; be sure to ask someone soon."

"All right," Eric said reluctantly.

The four left. Eric turned to his friends.

"Hmm...does that mean we have to ask someone to the ball as well?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Hermione said.

Harry pouted.

"But I don't really know anyone," he said.

"Hermione, can you go with me?" Eric asked hopefully.

"Sorry, I'm going with Alex," Hermione said. "He asked me during the first task. We're going as friends."

Eric grumbled before perking up.

"What about Ginny?" he asked.

"She's going with Neville, I think," Ron said.

"Maybe I should ask Padma," Harry mumbled. "But she's probably going with Terry."

Harry held up a finger, grinning in triumph.

"I know who I'm going to go with. If you will excuse me, I have to go somewhere," he said.

Before anyone could ask him anything, Harry was already gone.

"Strange, I would've thought he would go with Hedwig," Ron said.

"Perhaps he still will," Alex muttered.

"Alex, you should be nicer to your brother," Hermione chided.

"Remind me why I decided to ask you to the ball again?" Alex sighed tiredly.

"Because I'm one of your only friends and one of the only people you actually talk to," Hermione said. "Ron, Eric, find someone quickly. Alex and I will be in the library if you need anything. Good luck finding the second clue."

Alex and Hermione left.

* * *

"So, who'd you ask?" Alex asked, sitting next to his twin.

Harry looked at him before gesturing to the girl sitting next to him.

"Alex, this is Luna Lovegood. Luna, this is my older twin brother, Alex," Harry introduced.

"Hello Alex," Luna said in a dreamy voice. "It is very nice to meet you."

"I wasn't aware you had befriended a third person in Ravenclaw," Alex said.

"Met her last year," Harry said, sipping some pumpkin juice. "She's interesting and she's not too nosy. She's nice enough too."

"Harry is a very lonely person, as am I. I thought he would benefit from my company sometimes," Luna said. "I wasn't planning to go to the Yule Ball, so I was pleasantly surprised when Harry asked me to come with him."

Luna looked at them both.

"Oh my, you two really are identical...but with different eye colors, just like what I've heard," she said.

Luna looked into Alex's eyes.

"Your eye color is like ice. Some would say it is sky blue, but it is lighter than that...yet it holds darkness within them. Hard like ice, I'm sure you've heard that many times," she said.

Alex narrowed his eyes at her. Luna looked at Harry.

"And your eyes...some may say they are emerald green or perhaps a lighter shade of forest green...but that shade of green is not natural. I would say they are...almost the color of the killing curse," she said. "But at the same time...not quite that color...it holds something darker. I can't quite figure it out yet."

Luna hummed thoughtfully as she held up her magazine. Alex absentmindedly noted it was upside down. He leaned in towards Harry.

"What's the deal with her?" he hissed.

Harry smiled slightly.

"I have reason to believe she is a descendant of a seer," he whispered. "Interesting, yes?"

Alex leaned back, not saying anything. The twins finished eating and stood up.

"See you later, Luna," Harry said.

"Goodbye Harry. It was nice meeting you, Alex," Luna said, smiling dreamily.

The twins walked out of the hall.

"Alex! Harry!" they heard Hermione call from behind.

The twins stopped to let the trio catch up to them.

"Have you asked anyone, Eric?" Harry asked.

Eric grumbled, shaking his head.

"You best hurry," Harry said. "The ball will be here before you know it."

"If absolutely necessary, I can go with you." Hermione said. "But I also want to make Alex dance; it'll be fun to watch."

"Are you secretly a sadist by any chance?" Alex asked dryly.

"Nothing of the sort," Hermione said, chuckling. "I just think it'll be fun to see you do something out of your comfort zone."

"I know perfectly well how to dance," Alex said stiffly.

Harry snorted.

"No, you don't, not very well, at least," he muttered.

"And you do?" Alex glared at his twin.

"Yep! Taught myself," Harry said, laughing at his twin. "You should know since you were there!"

Alex's glare intensified.

"All right, calm down both of you," Hermione said, chuckling still.

"Harry, can you help me figure out the second clue?" Eric asked, holding up the egg.

"What did you hear?" Harry asked.

"Nothing! Just a screeching sound," Eric exclaimed.

Harry flicked his wand, putting up a silencing spell around them.

"Open it," he said.

"All right, but brace yourselves guys; it's really loud and screechy," Eric said, wincing just at the thought of the sound.

Eric opened the egg and the screeching sound filled the bubble around them. After a few seconds, he closed it. Everyone sighed in relief. Harry, although relieved the sound was gone, looked thoughtful as well.

"It sounds familiar," he said.

Harry snapped his fingers.

"Now I remember where I've heard it before," he said, his eyes glowing.

"What is it?!" Eric asked eagerly.

Harry tutted.

"You'll have to figure that out yourself," he said. "I can, however, give you a hint."

Eric grumbled but motioned for Harry to continue.

"Listen to it under the water." Harry said.

"Under water?" Ron asked.

"So the clue has something to do with water," Hermione said thoughtfully, rubbing her chin.

"Correct, Hermione. But that's the only thing I will say," Harry said. "Good luck~"


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

Soon, it was the day of the Yule Ball. Ron and Eric had managed to ask out the Patil twins. Padma was going with Terry, but she had agreed to go with Eric at the beginning. Parvati looked like she had been blackmailed into going with Ron as she had a slightly disgruntled expression across her face.

"Hermione, you look great!" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione smiled as she looped an arm around Alex's right arm. She wore a pretty purple dress, simple yet elegant. Luna wore a simple silver colored dress. She smiled dreamily, an arm around Harry's.

"Thank you, Ron," Hermione said.

She looked at Harry.

"Harry, you should put your hair up or you'll trip over your feet. With your bangs that long, perhaps you should get a haircut soon," Hermione said, frowning in concern. "And you're still wearing your scarf?"

"I like my hair the way it is," Harry said. "And I like my scarf; there is nothing you can do that will make me take it off."

Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a clip. He brushed his long bangs back and clipped them.

"Better?"

"Much," Hermione said, eyeing the scarf now.

"Oh my, I can really see that unique shade of green now," Luna said, leaning in.

"You're a little too close, Luna," Harry said, slightly annoyed.

Out of instinct, his pupils slit.

"Did your pupils just slit, Harry? You looked like a snake there for a second," Luna said, humming.

Harry blinked and as fast as it had appeared, his eyes turned back to normal just as quickly. Luna leaned back.

"It must've been my imagination." she said.

"You are quite the character, Luna," Harry said.

"You are easily annoyed sometimes, Harry," Luna said. "I find it...rather amusing."

"The ball is about to start. Eric, you need to go," Hermione suddenly said.

"Come on, Padma," Eric said.

Padma looked at Harry. Harry smiled innocently and waved in farewell. Padma glared at him halfheartedly.

"You owe me for this, Evans," she hissed.

Harry's smile widened as Padma walked away, linking arms with Eric.

Soon, the Yule Ball was underway. After the champions danced, everyone else joined in.

"This is enjoyable," Hermione said.

Alex grunted as he swung her around.

"You could stand to be happier, you know," Hermione said. "This is a joyous occasion."

"Yule isn't a big part of my life...but I suppose this is adequate," Alex said.

"What do you and Harry usually do for Yule?"

"We mostly stay home. We don't go out much," Alex said.

"You've told me that many times," Hermione said.

Alex twirled her to the waltzing music.

"You said you weren't good at dancing," Hermione said, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm not."

"Then what do you call this?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrow. "You're dancing like you've done it your whole life."

"I am not good at dancing, but I still learned how...mostly because Harry didn't have a dance partner and I was the only one available in our house," Alex said, looking away. "So technically, he taught me how to dance as well."

"Your brother is very..." Hermione trailed off, thinking. "I can't think of a word that describes him well enough."

"Unique? Creepy? Intelligent?"

"All those...I was thinking of something else though," Hermione said, frowning. "I'll think of it later. How much does your brother know exactly?"

"Everything," Alex said bluntly.

"Everything? That can't be possible," Hermione said, huffing in disbelief. "He can't have self-taught himself everything."

"Hermione, when I say everything, I mean everything." Alex stressed. "He taught himself everything magical and muggle."

"Why would he do something like that?" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"He was born a very curious person, thirsting for knowledge. After all, knowledge of power, no matter what it's for," Alex said.

Hermione looked over Alex's shoulder.

"Harry seems to be doing well...better than Ron and Eric. I do kind of feel bad for Parvati though. Ron never learned to dance well enough." she said. "Isn't Harry hot with that scarf on?"

They turned and Alex saw his twin across the dancefloor. He was chatting with Luna as they danced elegantly. Occasionally, he lifted a hand up to tug at the dark blue scarf.

"He's worn a scarf ever since I could remember," Alex said, glancing back at Hermione. "He rarely takes it off."

"He used to have a dark gray one, but only during the first part of the first year," Hermione said.

"You are very observant," Alex said.

"Hanging out with you and Harry can do that to people," Hermione said.

"Fair point," Alex said. "Harry wears a scarf for sentimental reasons, at least that's what he says to people."

"Is there another reason?" Hermione asked, looking up at him, meeting his ice blue eyes with her warm brown eyes.

"Well, he was born with a birthmark he likes to keep hidden," Alex lied smoothly. "It's on his neck. I made him the dark gray scarf when I was younger. It was probably the most embarrassing moment of my life, presenting him with that scarf. I can't believe he actually wore it."

That part, Alex thought, was true. He had been slightly embarrassed giving the dark gray scarf he had made to his younger twin; of course, Harry didn't know that because Alex had always been apathetic. Before he could see Harry's reaction to the scarf, Alex had left quickly. But the next day, Harry was wearing the scarf. He had wrapped it around his neck, hiding that horrendous scar along his throat and he never once took the scarf off until Alex had given him the dark blue scarf.

"Did you give him the dark blue scarf as well?" Hermione's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Yes," Alex said.

"You may seem very stoic at times, but you are a rather sweet person, Alex," Hermione said, smiling.

Alex almost snorted at that. He was a Death Eater; he couldn't afford to be nice to people when he was just going to kill them. As if to remind him of his position, his left wrist started to itch. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Snape and Karkaroff sneak away from the ball.

"I'm getting thirsty," Hermione said. "Do you want to get a drink? I saw a bowl of punch in the corner."

"I hope it isn't spiked," was Alex's only reply.

Hermione chuckled as they walked over to the table. They got some punch and walked over to where Eric, Ron, and Parvati were sitting. Parvati looked like she wanted to tear someone's head off.

"Parvati? You all right?" Hermione asked.

"He keeps stepping on my toes," Parvati said, jabbing a finger in Ron's direction.

"I said I was sorry," Ron grumbled.

Alex sipped some of the punch cautiously. As he did so, he scanned the contents with his magic; it wasn't spiked. Satisfied, Alex drained the rest of the punch quickly.

"Ah well, that was fun," Harry exclaimed cheerfully.

Luna sighed as she sat down next to Hermione.

"You are a very good dancer, Harry. Thank you for asking me to come with you," Luna said, playing with her hair.

Harry hummed in reply before tapping Parvati on the shoulder.

"Come on Parvati, you should get at least one good dance in for the night," he said. "I promise I won't step on your toes."

"Oi!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry laughed as Parvati accepted his hand. They walked off. Ron glared at Harry's back, grumbling under his breath.

"Don't pay attention to him, Ron; he's just teasing you," Hermione said. "Alex, is something wrong?"

Alex shook his head, turning away from where he had been staring where Snape and Karkaroff had left. His left wrist stung a little more now. It hadn't been his imagination earlier. Voldemort really was summoning his death eaters.

"Don't worry about it," he said.

"Did you figure out the second clue?" Hermione asked Eric.

"I did as Harry told me to do," Eric said. "I listened to it underwater and I got this weird poem."

"Let's hear it," Ron said, perking up.

Eric told them the clue:

_Come seek us where our voices sound,_

_We cannot sing above the ground,_

_And while you're searching, ponder this;_

_We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

_An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And to recover what we took,_

_But past an hour, the prospect's black,_

_Too late, it's gone, it won't come back._

Hermione frowned thoughtfully.

"From what I can tell, the second task is underwater and you need to save someone you care about," Hermione said.

"That's exactly it," Luna said, humming.

"Underwater though? Does that mean the second lake is going to be in the lake?" Eric asked.

"It'll most likely be in the Black Lake. You'll have to be careful there though. There are the merrow as well as the giant squid," Hermione said. "But that does sound right since it'll be dangerous."

"What are merrow?" Eric asked.

"That's the term for the Irish merfolk. They are considered less beautiful compared to their warm water counterparts, the sirens. They have a more humanoid shape with fish-like attributes." Hermione explained. "You can be sure you'll encounter them."

Eric groaned.

"This just keeps getting better and better."

* * *

Everyone was gathered at the Black Lake. It was towards the end of February, the day of the second task. The four champions were at the docks, waiting to dive in.

"You have a plan, Eric?" Hermione asked.

"For what?" Eric asked.

Hermione groaned.

"How are you going to get down there?" she exclaimed. "You can't breathe underwater."

"Oops...forgot about that," Eric said sheepishly.

Hermione groaned again. Harry laughed. He held out his hand.

"Eat this," he said.

Eric took the item from Harry. It was some kind of plant.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Gillyweed," Harry said. "It'll give you the ability to breathe underwater for maybe...an hour. Use it wisely~"

"Are you sure about this?" Eric asked nervously.

"Sure," Harry said cheerfully. "Have I ever been wrong before?"

Eric sighed and shook his head.

"No," he muttered. "Sorry, I'm just really nervous about this."

He looked around.

"Where's Ron?" he asked.

"I haven't seen him all morning." Hermione said, looking around as well.

"He's most likely the one you have to save. The clue did say you have to rescue someone you care about," Alex said.

"Great," Eric grumbled.

"Welcome to the second task!" Dumbledore's voice boomed. "Last night, something was stolen from each of our champions, a treasure of sorts. These four treasures now lie at the bottom of the Black Lake. Your objective, champions, is to retrieve your treasure and return to the surface. Simple enough, yes?"

The four champions looking down at the water.

"Good luck, Eric," Hermione called.

"However, you have one hour and one hour only to complete the second task." Dumbledore said. "The start of the task will be sounded by the cannon."

Eric took a deep breath and choked the gillyweed down. It was slimy and disgusting, but if it worked, Eric would thank Harry later. He began coughing as his lungs burned. Moody frowned at him and whacked his back to dislodge whatever was in his throat. There was the sound of cannon was heard. The other three champions dove into the water. Eric grasped the railing, gasping for air before promptly falling into the water, having been pushed by Moody.

He flailed around for a few minutes. His neck was burning in pain. Water flowed into his mouth as Eric coughed. Suddenly, it was easy to breathe. Eric blinked in surprise as he felt ridges on his neck. The ridges moved slightly, taking in water.

'Gills,' Eric thought.

He looked down and saw that his feet were shaped differently, like fins. He lifted his hands up and saw they were webbed now. Eric calmed himself down and swam down, no longer worrying about air or moving through the water slowly. He had one hour before the task ended and the gillyweed ran out.

He swam through the seaweed. He could see Fleur up ahead, with a bubble of air over her mouth. Eric swam further in. Something whooshed past him and Eric looked up to see a tail disappearing not too far from him. He swam towards it. He could hear a faint song, sounding much like the song from the egg. He followed it and it steadily grew louder, even through the water. There was stone structures under the water and he could see four figures within the stone structures. He swam forward and saw the faces of the four people. They were Ron, Cho, and two others Eric didn't recognize. One, a young girl, looked similar to Fleur, probably a sister then. The last one was probably the one Viktor had to save. They were all unconscious. There was a whoosh as a person with a shark head came out of nowhere and snatched one of the people. Eric saw it was Viktor. Merrow swam around, occasionally calling out.

He swam down and untied the seaweed from Ron's ankle. Cedric appeared, using his wand to blast the seaweed from Cho's ankle. He was wearing a bubble charm over his mouth, like Fleur. Cedric looked at Eric and nodded. He grabbed Cho and swam upwards towards the surface.

Eric grabbed Ron and started to swim upwards. He glanced at the last person. Fleur hadn't come. Something turned in Eric's stomach; he had a bad feeling about this.

Listening to his instincts, Eric grabbed his wand and freed the girl. The merrow howled in anger, going after him.

"Only one!" they hissed.

Eric blasted them away, grabbing the girl and Ron. He swam as quickly as he could towards the surface. Something grabbed his ankle. Eric quickly flicked his wand and sent Ron and the girl to the surface as he was dragged down. The merrow surrounded him angrily. Eric blasted them away. He was running out of time. The gillyweed was almost done now, meaning his one hour time limit was almost up. His lungs were starting to burn from lack of air as the gills began closing. In a desperate plea, Eric pointed his wand at the surface and blasted himself upwards, pushing past the angry merrow intent on drowning him. He flew out of the water and landed harshly on the docks. He coughed out water.

"Eric!" he heard Lily shout.

He gasped for air, barely noticing a towel being wrapped around him.

"Breathe, Eric," he heard Remus say. "You made it in time."

Eric took deep breathes, quickly adjusting to breathing air instead of water now. He looked up.

"Ron?" he asked.

"They're safe. Both Ron and that girl," Remus said, rubbing his back.

Lily draped another towel over him to warm him up.

"You were the last one out, Eric. When Ron and Fleur's little sister appeared at the surface without you, we were all afraid you were drowning," she said. "Don't worry me like that, Eric! You're going to give me a heart attack one day."

"Sorry mum," Eric said, smiling weakly.

Fleur burst through the crowd and hugged Eric.

"Thank you, Eric," she exclaimed, crying. "Thank you for saving my sister!"

"Sure," Eric said, smiling at the Beauxbatons champion.

Fleur pulled back and gave him a watery smile before hugging her sister.

"I'm so sorry, Gabrielle," Fleur said.

Gabrielle hugged her back.

"It's fine, Fleur; don't worry about it." she said.

"Eric!" Hermione exclaimed. "You were down there for so long! The gillyweed lasts barely for an hour, you know! Don't be so reckless."

She hugged him tightly. Harry and Alex were behind her.

"I'm fine, Hermione," Eric said. "Hey Harry, thanks for the gillyweed. It worked, but I'm never using it again."

Harry laughed.

"Fair enough," he said.

"Well done, champions," Crouch Sr said. "Take some time to recover. The third task will be held in June."

"Wow, that's a very long time from now," Eric muttered.

Hermione chuckled.

"Well, they do have to let us focus on our studies. The third task takes place after our finals," she said.

"Finals are easy," Harry snorted.

"For you," Eric grumbled.

* * *

Voldemort hummed.

"So Potter survived the first two tasks," he said.

"Yes milord," Barty said, kneeling before the Dark Lord.

Voldemort looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I have decided. I will confront him in the third task. Barty, place a portkey where Potter will for sure touch it. Make sure nobody other than him touches it. I don't want our first meeting to be interrupted by nuisances," Voldemort said.

"Of course, anything for you, milord," Barty said, worship clear in his eyes.

"Is there anything else?" Voldemort asked when the Death Eater didn't move.

"If you don't mind me asking, milord, there is a boy at the school that says he's affiliated with you," Barty said.

"I see; don't worry about it. You are not the only spy I sent to Hogwarts," Voldemort said. "Which boy did you encounter?"

"There is more than one, milord?" Barty asked, blinking in surprise.

"Yes, they are twins," Voldemort said.

"The one I encountered wore a scarf," Barty said.

"You met Harrison then. The elder twin, Alexander, is more...conservative. I have no doubt he knows what Harrison knows," Voldemort said. "Don't be bothered by them. They will not get in your way; they have their own mission to complete after all. Focus on your own mission."

Barty bowed his head. Voldemort waved his hand casually at the Death Eater.

"Dismissed."


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

Finally, it was the day of the third task. Finals for classes had ended in May. The third task took place at the end of June, giving students a small break.

The third task was navigating a maze to retrieve the trophy.

"A trophy?" Eric asked.

"Not just any trophy," Cedric said. "It's _the_ trophy, Eric. You touch the trophy and you're the winner of the tournament. You get to keep the trophy as well as receiving the eternal glory and 1000 Galleon reward."

"Oh," Eric said.

"Cheer up," Cedric said, smiling reassuringly. "You've done really well, Eric."

"I never wanted to be in the tournament," Eric said.

"I'm sure they're investigating to see who put your name into the goblet," Cedric said. "I heard they found a Confundus Charm on the goblet, confusing it to believe there were four schools instead of three in the tournament. That's how you got chosen."

Eric grumbled.

"Yes, but there is something off about this entire thing," Fleur said. "You were entered on purpose, Eric, by someone who knew full well of the dangers of the tournament. I think someone wants to kill you."

"Why?" Eric asked, frowning.

"Let's just focus on the third task for now," Cedric said.

"Yeah, you're right," Eric said, shaking his hands out.

"Welcome to the third task," Dumbledore announced. "Champions, this is your last challenge. Your task is to navigate through the maze and retrieve the cup. The first champion to touch the cup will be the winner of the tournament."

There were cheers and clapping as the four champions were led to separate openings of the maze.

"Good luck champions," Dumbledore said.

There was cannon fire and the four champions ran into the maze.

Up in the stands, Alex hissed as his Dark Mark burned. Harry glanced at him and rested a pale hand on his left wrist. Alex could feel a tingle of warmth and the burning pain lightened to a dull throbbing. Harry leaned in. Alex felt something hard press into his hand. Harry curled his fingers over the object.

"I'll cover for you," Harry whispered. "Go to father's side."

Alex nodded and left, making the excuse of going to the restroom when Hermione asked. He went into the castle. It was empty as everyone was at the third task. Alex looked at the item in his hand. It was a small charm. A second later, he felt a tug in his stomach and then he was gone.

* * *

Eric saw the cup up ahead and ran towards it. Fleur and Viktor had been attacked by the maze, leaving just him and Cedric. Fleur had been found almost swallowed up by the vines in the maze; she had been knocked unconscious by something and was sporting a couple burns caused by blast-ended skrewts. Viktor had been attacked by an Acromantula, but Cedric had blasted the spider-like creature away, only for them both to be attacked by more blast-ended skrewts. Viktor had been incapacitated and brought back to the entrance of the maze for medical attention.

Cedric reached the cup at the same time as him. They both had minor injuries caused from encounters with multiple creatures throughout the maze. Eric himself had encountered a boggart, which he defeated quickly only to get caught in an explosion caused by two blast-ended skrewts.

"You take it, Eric," Cedric said.

"No, you're the one who deserves it," Eric said.

"How about we both take it?" Cedric suggested. "We reached the cup at the same time and we're both Hogwarts's champions."

"You don't want eternal glory and 1000 Galleons?" Eric asked.

"I don't care much about that stuff. We'll both be the winners," Cedric said, smiling at him.

Eric hesitated before nodding.

"All right," he said.

They held their hands out to touch the cup.

"Ready?" Cedric asked.

"Yeah," Eric said.

Together, they grabbed the cup. As soon as they did, there was a harsh tug and they were whirling through air suddenly. They landed in what looked like a graveyard.

"What happened?!" Cedric exclaimed, sitting up. "Where are we?!"

Eric gripped his wand, looking around. He could see headstones everywhere. He stood up, Cedric following him.

"Well, one thing's for sure," he said. "I don't think this is part of the third task."

"No, it is not," a voice said from behind them.

The two whirled around in alarm. A cloaked figure stood before them. There were several cracks of Apparation as other cloaked figures appeared around them, leaving no path to escape. All the figures except for the one in front of them wore familiar silver masks.

"Death Eaters," Eric breathed in horror.

"How clever you are, Eric Potter," the cloaked person in front of them said.

"Then that must mean you're..." Eric couldn't finish the sentence.

The cloaked figure laughed darkly.

"Yes, I am the Dark Lord Voldemort," he said.

Voldemort spread his arms out in mock welcome.

"Welcome, Eric Potter, to your graveyard," he said.

He pointed his pale white wand at Eric.

"You will die here tonight by my hand, Potter," Voldemort hissed.

Eric could see glowing crimson red eyes from underneath the hood, but everything else was concealed in darkness. Voldemort looked at Cedric.

"Who is he?" he frowned. "I specifically ordered for only Potter to be here! Kill the spare!"

There was no utter of words, only a flash of green light. The green light hit Cedric before anyone could do anything. Cedric collapsed to the ground, instantly dead.

"Cedric!" Eric shouted.

Eric crumbled down next to Cedric, trembling hands reaching out to grasp the older boy's shirt. He clutched Cedric's shirt desperately.

"Cedric, please wake up! Please!" Eric begged, tears streaming down his face.

But he knew Cedric would never wake up. He would never speak, breathe, or do anything ever again.

"No use, boy," Voldemort said. "He's dead. Your turn is next."

Eric shakily reached up to close Cedric's eyes. He looked peaceful, as if he were only sleeping. But Eric knew better; he knew Cedric was dead...he didn't want to believe it, but he had no choice. Cedric was never coming back.

Eric stood up, gripping his wand tightly. He furiously wiped his tears away.

"You'll pay for this," Eric gritted out.

Eric then caught sight of a small figure behind Voldemort, a little to the right. The killing curse had come from that direction. The small figure was much shorter than the other Death Eaters and yet still wore a silver mask. Eric remembered the conversation the Order had last summer and his blood ran cold. The Order had spoken of a pair of brothers among Voldemort's ranks. One was a Death Eater while the other was a potions maker; both were equally as dangerous and both were willingly part of Voldemort's army.

"What are you looking at, boy?" Voldemort asked, glancing where Eric was staring in disbelief. "Ah yes, my youngest Death Eater, yet very loyal. Too bad for you, Potter, you won't be alive for much longer; you don't need to learn any names."

Eric continued staring at the small Death Eater. He had heard about the child Death Eater serving under Voldemort, but seeing it in person made it very, very real. Someone his age, or perhaps even younger, was killing people in the name of the Dark Lord.

Then Eric realized something, something that made his blood freeze. There had been no words when Cedric was killed. The small Death Eater had said nothing; he had wordlessly casted the curse. For someone that young to be that advanced in the Dark Arts, to be able to wordlessly cast one of the Unforgiveables...it was terrifying.

"Now then," Voldemort's voice broke through his thoughts. "Shall we get started?"

"Started on what?" Eric asked warily.

"I thought I would be generous and give you a fighting chance before you died," Voldemort said. "Let us have a duel."

Eric stumbled back.

"You don't have a choice in this, Potter." Voldemort hissed.

Eric's body seized up and he unwillingly stepped forward. Eric panicked as he realized the same Death Eater's wand was pointed at him, having wordlessly casted the Imperius Curse on him.

"Much better," Voldemort said, smirking. "Now then, let's bow."

Eric's body bent over in a forced bow. Voldemort gave a mock bow.

"Pull out our wands and hold them at the ready," Voldemort said.

Eric's hand lifted up his wand, his arm shaking from the effort of trying to resist the curse.

"And start," Voldemort said.

Eric was released from the curse and he only had a split second to dodge a Cruciatus Curse. He dodged a killing curse next and shot a disarming spell at Voldemort. Voldemort batted it aside without a blink of an eye.

"Surely that is not the best you can do," Voldemort taunted.

Eric gritted his teeth. He saw a glowing light in the corner of his eye. He turned slightly to see the cup. It was a portkey! He could use it to get back to Hogwarts!

Eric kept his eyes on Voldemort as he carefully made his way over to the cup and Cedric's body.

"Stalling for time, are we? If you wish to make your death more painful, I'm all for it," Voldemort hissed gleefully.

Another Cruciatus Curse blasted towards him. Eric ducked behind a headstone and it was destroyed from the impact of the curse. Eric dodged another curse.

"You are quite the cowardly one, Potter! Are you truly the one to defeat me?" Voldemort called.

Eric didn't answer since he knew that was what Voldemort wanted. He ducked behind a large headstone. He eyed the trophy and gaged the distance. Then, in a burst of speed, he lunged forward. He dodged two more curses and grabbed Cedric's body and then the cup. He felt a tug in his stomach and suddenly, he was back in the maze. He hurriedly dropped the cup before the portkey could activate again. He grabbed Cedric's body and dragged the dead teenager through the maze.

* * *

Voldemort growled angrily as Eric made his escape. The other Death Eaters shifted nervously, awaiting his next orders. There were soft footsteps as a small figure appeared at his side.

"Father," Alex said too quietly for anyone but the two of them to hear. "It is best you calm down before you let your anger get the better of you."

"_Emotions do not control me!_" Voldemort hissed furiously in Parseltongue.

Alex was unfazed by the threat of Voldemort's wrath. His ice blue eyes stared evenly into Voldemort's crimson orbs. Voldemort took a deep breath and forced his anger away. He looked at his followers.

"All of you are dismissed." he said coldly. "Go back to Riddle Manor for further orders."

A split second later, every Death Eater but Alex Apparated away.

"We'll need a new plan to get Potter," Voldemort said. "He may have escaped this time, but he will not escape a second time. Barty Crouch Jr made a fatal mistake by not deactivating the portkey so Potter wouldn't be able to escape from me. Alexander, have him report to me soon. He will be punished thoroughly."

"Yes father," Alex said emotionlessly.

"Also...something tells me the prophecy is not what it seems," Voldemort said. "I need to hear the entire thing."

"Are you saying to break into the Ministry to retrieve the prophecy?" Alex asked.

"Have Harrison come up with a plan," Voldemort said in response. "You should be going back or your absence will become suspicious."

"Very well," Alex said.

Alex bowed briefly before disappearing in a crack of Apparation.

* * *

There was a crash of music as Eric came out of the maze. Then everyone saw him supporting Cedric's dead body. Eric crumbled to the ground.

"Eric, what happened?!" James exclaimed.

"He's dead! Cedric's dead!" Eric shouted.

Everyone stared in horror and fear.

"W-who?" a student managed to stutter out.

"I-it w-w-was V-Voldemort!" Eric managed to say through his tears.

Dumbledore rushed over as well as Cedric's parents.

"The killing curse, dead instantly," Dumbledore said grimly.

"No!" Cedric's mother wailed.

She threw herself over Cedric, sobbing. Cedric's father was struggling to hold back tears but failed. Other students began crying as well. Cho Chang burst into tears and ran away, her face buried into her hands.

No one noticed Alex slip back into the stands nor did anyone notice Harry's soft chuckle as his twin whispered something into his ear.


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

The beginning of fifth year was rather grim. It had been two months since the death of Cedric Diggory and when Voldemort made his first attempt to kill the Chosen One. There were newspapers everywhere about the subject. Some denied it and others exaggerated the entire thing. Some labeled Eric as a coward for not being able to save Cedric while others hailed Cedric as a hero who fought bravely until the every end against Voldemort. The Minister, Cornelius Fudge, denied that the entire event had happened in the first place, saying it was preposterous that Voldemort would attack at this time.

Eric sighed as the last of the first years were sorted.

"Welcome," Dumbledore said, spreading his arms out. "I have a few announcements to make before we begin the feast. First off, please welcome Dolores Umbridge from the Ministry. She is here to observe. Please welcome her warmly. Secondly-

"Hem hem," a cough cut the headmaster off.

Dumbledore blinked in surprise and looked over. Umbridge smiled.

"May I?" she asked in a sickly sweet voice.

"Of course," Dumbledore said, stepping down.

Umbridge walked forward.

"Ugh, so much pink," Ron muttered.

Hermione shushed him.

"It is so good to see such young bright minds," Umbridge said.

She went onto a long speech. Everyone soon tuned her out, turning to stare at the empty gold colored plates.

"Come on, just end already," Ron whined softly.

Hermione shushed him again, listening to Umbridge's speech intently.

"You're actually listening?" Eric asked softly.

Hermione waved at him to be quiet. Eric and Ron looked over at the twins and to their surprise, they were also listening to Umbridge's speech.

"I hope we have a lovely year together. I look forward to working with each and every one of you," Umbridge finally finished.

Dumbledore clapped and there were a few other halfhearted claps as Umbridge sat at the staff table. Dumbledore then finished the rest of the announcements and the feast finally began.

Eric picked glumly at his food.

"Eric, you need to eat something. Your mom said you kept yourself cooped up in the manor the entire summer," Hermione said.

"Listen to her," Alex said, eating a green bean. "You wouldn't want to end up like Harry."

Harry jabbed him in the ribs before turning to stare at Eric.

"Eric, eat something; you never know when your last meal will be," Harry said.

"You're so morbid sometimes, I swear!" Hermione exclaimed.

Harry cackled before taking a sip of his tea.

"He's got a good point," Ron mumbled through a mouthful of food.

"Swallow first!" Hermione scolded.

"So what was Umbridge talking about anyways?" Ron asked after swallowing.

"If you were listening, you would know," Alex said.

"But her voice is so screechy," Ron exclaimed, taking a bite of chicken.

"She plans to take over the school," Harry said, taking another sip of tea. "That's the gist of her speech and all you need to know."

"Take over the school? How's she going to do that?" Eric asked, glancing at the green eyed twin.

"She's from the Ministry, isn't she?" Harry stated. "Going by her speech, she's obviously close to Fudge. If she attempts to keep the truth behind Cedric's death and Voldemort's appearance quiet, Fudge will definitely support her efforts. Eventually, it'll drive Dumbledore out of Hogwarts and it'll be free for her to take over."

"Drive Dumbledore out? That's not possible," Ron exclaimed after gulping down a mouthful of mashed potatoes and gravy.

"Oh? You really think that? Albus Dumbledore is a very powerful wizard, one of the most powerful to ever exist. I will not deny that," Harry said. "But he is still human. He is still capable of dying like the rest of us, whether it is from old age or a killing curse. Right now, the only thing keeping us safe from the Ministry is Dumbledore, but as soon as he's gone, Hogwarts will be taken over in a blink of an eye."

Harry looked at the staff table, watching Umbridge talk to a disgruntled Snape.

"From her speech and intentions, I can tell she mostly likely was a Slytherin when she went to Hogwarts," he said. "She may not look like one, but she's certainly cunning. It'll be subtle, but day by day, you'll soon be able to tell who's in charge of the school. And once Dumbledore is gone, it'll become obvious."

Harry chuckled.

"This will be an interesting school year," he said, grinning cat-like.

Alex tched.

"She's annoying," he muttered. "I hate her."

"That's the second time I've heard you say that...well, something close to it," Harry said, shrugging. "The first one was Lockhart."

"Don't you remember what happened to Lockhart?" Hermione asked.

"What?" Harry asked.

"You should've heard about it. It happened two years ago, just after our second year ended," Hermione said. "Lockhart was attacked by Death Eaters and tortured into insanity."

"Wow, we really don't get out much," Harry said.

"Idiot. Hermione told us about it at the beginning of third year," Alex said.

"Really? I don't remember anything," Harry said, frowning thoughtfully.

Hermione sighed.

"It isn't an easy topic. No Death Eater attack is an easy topic to discuss," she said.

"Speaking of topics, did you guys hear about Moody?" Ron asked, chewing still.

"Swallow," Hermione said sternly.

Ron gulped his food down quickly and drank some pumpkin juice.

"Anyways, Moody was found unconscious in a park by two Aurors. He said he doesn't remember anything, not even the tournament!" Ron exclaimed in a hushed voice.

"I heard about that too," Eric said. "There are rumors that the Moody from last year was an imposter, but there's no proof. Moody has his eye and wand and everything; nothing was missing, but he doesn't remember an entire year."

"How strange and intriguing," Harry said, humming.

"No, it's bad," Hermione said. "Don't you see? Nobody knows what happened to Moody. If he could be attacked like that, or something similar to that, who knows what could happen to someone else?"

"You think it was a Death Eater attack?" Ron asked.

"It would've been more obvious if it was a Death Eater. Besides, Moody is a seasoned Auror. He's very paranoid and he wouldn't let himself be taken out so easily," Alex said.

"Good point," Ron grumbled.

"Guys, we all had a stressful fourth year. Let's just focus on getting through our fifth year." Hermione said, sighing.

"Yeah, that sounds good," Eric said, going back to picking at his food.

* * *

"Right everyone, today we're going to start a new topic. It isn't part of the course requirements, but we're going to do it anyways. It's very useful," Sirius said. "Today, we'll be talking about Legilimency and Occlumency."

Alex sighed inwardly.

"And then we're going to do a demonstration where we enter each of your minds. This will allow you to know when someone has entered your mind; all it takes is you looking into their eyes," Remus said. "If you have good mental shields and you know what Legilimency feels like, you can protect your mind."

Alex's inward sigh turned into a groan. He was going to have to weaken his own mental shields to not cause suspicion.

"First, some vocabulary," Remus said. "Occlumency is magically shielding one's mind. It is the counter of Legilimency. If you master this art, you can hide your memories, feelings, and even prevent someone from manipulating you using Legilimency. Legilimency, on the other hand, is entering another's mind to access memories, feelings, and influence them. You can plant thoughts into another's minds and even destroy memories if you're skilled enough."

"There will be two students up at a time. We'll enter your minds so you understand what it feels like, and then we'll work on Occlumency." Sirius said. "Everyone, line up!"

Alex got into a random line. Hermione, Eric, and Ron joined him.

"I've read some stuff about Occlumency and Legilimency, but I never got to making my own mental shields," Hermione said.

"I sort of learned it. I have mental shields, but I don't really have experience with Legilimency," Eric said.

"Well, they're not going to be forcing their way into your mind," Hermione said. "Like Professor Black said, it's just so we know what it feels like, especially if it's really subtle."

"She's right," Alex muttered. "They're both valuable skills to have. Without mental shields, your mind is vulnerable to anyone; all it takes is looking someone directly in the eyes."

"You speak as if you have experience with having your mind entered," Ron said.

Alex didn't answer. Soon, it was his turn.

"Right Alex, just look me in the eyes," Sirius said. "I'll be gentle, so it won't hurt."

"Are you saying it can hurt?" Hermione asked from behind Alex.

"Yes," Sirius said. "There are some Legilimens that can force their way into your mind. Those people are dangerous, because they don't care what they destroy as long as they get what they want. The mind is a delicate thing. You ready, Alex?"

Alex nodded and lowered his mental shields. They were very strong and if Sirius saw them, he would ask questions, so just this once, he would lower them. Alex looked up and met Sirius's eyes. Immediately, he felt Sirius enter his mind, indicated by a gentle probing.

* * *

_His vision was blurry. He could hear faint sounds of heavy breathing and faint crying next to him. He looked up to see a woman and his vision cleared up a little. She had black hair and pale skin. There was yelling in the background._

_"Sectumsempra!" he heard someone familiar yell._

_There was a white light and the woman cried out in pain. Alex heard a choking sound and turned his head to see Harry, his green eyes open. There was blood on his throat. The woman hid around the corner and looked down, revealing identical green eyes as Harry._

_"I'm sorry, Harry, Alex...but I have to protect you from that-that monster," he heard the woman gasp out, panting slightly._

* * *

Sirius stumbled back as Alex harshly shoved him out of his mind. His mental shields slammed back up at full force. Alex clutched his hair, his hands shaking slightly as he tried to calm his shallow breathing.

"Alex! Are you okay?!" Hermione exclaimed.

Sirius was blinking in surprise.

"What memory was that?" he asked.

"I-I don't know," Alex managed to say.

"Alex, you need to sit down," Hermione said.

Remus glanced over and frowned in concern. He came over.

"What happened? Sirius, did you do something?" he demanded.

"I didn't do anything!" Sirius exclaimed defensively.

Sirius looked at Alex, who was sitting back in his chair still clutching his hair out of shock. Hermione sat next to him. Remus sighed and summoned a vial of Calming Draught. He walked over and placed it in front of Alex.

"Drink this, Alex," he said quietly. "It's a Calming Draught."

Hermione took the potion and opened it. She held it out and Alex took it with a shaky hand. He drank it in one go and relaxed as the potion took effect. Sirius turned to the rest of the class.

"We'll continue this next time," he said. "Class is ending early today."

Gradually, everyone filed out of the classroom, some glancing in curiosity or concern at Alex.

"Alex, that memory..." Sirius began.

He paused, unsure of what to say.

"What exactly did you see?" Remus asked gently.

"I don't know what it was," Alex said softly. "I didn't even know I had that memory. That woman I saw...she had the same eyes as Harry."

"Your mother?" Hermione asked.

"I-I don't know," Alex said. "I never knew my mother...she died when Harry and I were too young to even remember her."

"Alex, that memory...she was running from someone. I saw her get cut by a cutting curse." Sirius said. "And your brother...he got cut too."

"I don't know what to think! My mother is dead, all right?!" Alex exclaimed.

Sirius, Remus, and Hermione stepped back from his sudden outburst. Alex sighed.

"Sorry," he muttered. "I didn't even know I had a memory like that. I just need time to sort this all out."

"I understand," Remus said. "I think it's best you skip your next class, Alex. Hermione, take him to the Hospital Wing and get him another Calming Draught. I'll write a note."

"Already done," Sirius said, holding out a slip of paper.

"I'm fine," Alex said.

"Alex, please," Hermione said. "I've never seen you like this before and frankly, it scares me."

"Like what?" Alex asked, looking at her.

"So flustered...I would say almost scared," Hermione said. "That memory obviously unsettled you to the point of losing control of yourself. You need time to just calm down."

Alex hesitated before nodding. The two of them silently left the classroom. Eric and Ron were waiting for them.

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"Alex is going to the Hospital Wing," Hermione said. "And then we're going to our next class."

"You all right, mate?" Eric asked, looking at Alex.

"I'm fine," Alex said softly.

"No, you're not," Hermione said. "Come on."

They soon reached the Hospital Wing. Hermione showed Madame Pomphrey the note. The nurse nodded and directed Alex to a bed. She handed him another Calming Draught.

"We'll come visit at lunch. And we'll bring Harry with us," Hermione said.

Alex nodded in thanks and the trio left, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He closed his eyes and recalled the memory. He couldn't access it; it was too early of a memory. He would need help from Harry.

Who was that woman? Was she truly his and Harry's mother? Why was she running away with someone chasing her?

These questions raced through Alex's mind. He didn't even notice the time rushing by until he heard the doors creaking open, breaking him out of his thoughts. He looked over to see the trio and Harry. Harry rushed forward.

"Alex, what happened?!" he exclaimed.

"Just an accident in DADA," Alex said. "We were discussing Legilimency and Occlumency and when Professor Black entered my mind, I saw a memory I didn't even know I had."

Harry frowned.

"What kind of memory?" he asked.

"I don't know how to describe it." Alex said.

He looked down, fiddling with the sleeve of his cloak. Harry studied him for a long moment before turning to the trio.

"I've got it from here. You guys go to lunch," he said.

"You sure?" Hermione asked. "Alex seemed pretty upset about what happened."

"I'm all right, really," Alex said.

"If you say so," Hermione said. "Alex, we'll see you in our next class and at dinner."

Alex nodded. The twins watched as they left. As soon the door closed, Harry pulled the curtain over to hide them. Alex felt a silencing spell go up around them.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"I don't know how to explain it, but I think I saw our...mother," Alex said.

"She died when we were only babies," Harry said.

"She didn't just die, Harry. I think she was killed," Alex said.

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Why the sudden interest? You never took an interest of finding out who our mother was before," he said.

"Yes, until I saw this memory of her running with us, running away from someone trying to kill her. She said something about protecting us from someone." Alex said. "And..."

"And what?"

"She got hit by the cutting curse, but one of the cuts...it's that scar on your throat," Alex said.

"You told me that father told you he tried to cut my throat open. He never said anything about it being because it missed hitting our mother," Harry said.

"That's what I'm trying to say, Harry. Father has never told us anything about our mother, only that she was a traitor. We never asked after that. As for your scar, I only know what father told me." Alex said. "But after seeing that memory, I can't just leave it alone. I have to know what really happened to her."

Harry sighed and sat down on the bed.

"Fine, I'll help you," he said. "Come here, I'll access the memory."

Alex hesitated. Harry rolled his eyes.

"You think my Legilimency skills are always destructive? It takes skills to be that forceful. I can be gentle too," Harry said.

Alex nodded and looked into Harry's eyes.

* * *

_He saw the woman looking around the corner. She cursed before looking down at the twins._

_"Shh...I'm going to get us out of here," she whispered. "Harry, I'm going to protect you from that man."_

_Alex looked over as the woman put them gently on the ground. Harry was struggling to breathe due to the cut on his throat. The woman gently looked at it before patting the blood away. She gasped in awe._

_"Harry, your magic...it's already healing the cut," she gasped out._

_A second later, Harry was babbling happily, reaching for the woman as if he hadn't almost died from a cut to the throat. The only evidence was a pale white scar that ran across the younger twin's throat._

_"Shush, little one," the woman muttered, brushing a finger against Harry's cheek._

_She turned to Alex and gently held his tiny hand. Alex caught sight of the Dark Mark on her left wrist._

_"I'm so sorry, but your father got me good with that cutting curse...I'm bleeding out," she cried softly._

_She leaned over the twins, tears dripping down onto their skin._

_"You two look after each other and know I love you always." she whispered. "I'm so sorry...that I couldn't get you away from him..."_

_"I finally found you," a new voice hissed from behind the woman._

_The woman gasped and looked over. Alex looked over and saw Voldemort. His crimson eyes were cold and hard._

_"You dare try to run off with my heir?" Voldemort hissed angrily._

_"What was I supposed to do? You were going to kill Harry!" the woman exclaimed._

_She winced in pain, blood pooling around her._

_"I have need for only one child," Voldemort said coldly._

_"You will not kill Harry! He is not weak, Tom! He healed himself with his own magic! You would be blind to not see the power in your youngest son!" the woman exclaimed._

_"Then perhaps he will have some use to me in the future...but as for you, I cannot allow you to live," Voldemort said, raising his wand. "Avada Kedavra!"_

_There was a green flash._

* * *

Harry pulled out.

"So she was killed because father tried to kill me," Harry said softly. "After all I've done for him and father still tries to kill me even to this day."

"Our mother was a Death Eater," Alex said. "She must've been in the Inner Circle to be that close to father, especially to call him by his true name. She was no traitor; she just didn't want father to kill you."

"She took you along with me. Perhaps she wanted to save the both of us from growing up under the influence of a Dark Lord," Harry said.

Harry sat back.

"Are you satisfied now?"

Alex nodded.

"Yes," he said.

Harry nodded and stood up. Alex caught his wrist, making Harry look back at him.

"Harry...Sirius saw the memory," Alex said. "He knows something bad happened to us and he may try to dig deeper."

Harry hummed, tilting his head.

"Then we'll just have to kill him," he said almost casually.

"How?"

Harry smiled.

"Just leave it to me~"

* * *

It had been four months now. Life wasn't getting any easier, especially now that Umbridge had come to Hogwarts. Restrictions were building up one by one. No clubs, no roaming in the halls, no hanging out with friends in the halls, etc., etc. It was getting tiring.

Alex hated Umbridge and his hatred was growing by the second. Whenever he saw her, he just wanted to curse her. At this point, blowing his cover would be worth it. He could deal with the consequences later. Normally, he'd be perturbed by his own thoughts, but at the moment, Alex could care less. It was thanks to Harry keeping him distracted that Alex didn't go cursing everyone he saw.

Alex took a deep breath as Umbridge lectured him about roaming in the halls. His anger was building up and was on the verge of exploding.

"That's detention for you, Mr. Evans," Umbridge screeched. "And twenty points from Slytherin!"

Alex's eye twitched. Suddenly, Harry appeared by his side.

"Alex, I've been looking for you! I have something to tell you!" Harry exclaimed.

"You there! Who are you?!" Umbridge demanded.

Harry looked at her with an innocent smile. Only Alex could tell his twin was also annoyed with the toad woman.

"My apologies, I didn't see you there," Harry said politely. "My name is Harry Evans. Alex is my brother."

"Twins, I see? Off to create trouble?" Umbridge almost snarled out, her face turning an ugly shade of red.

"I merely have a book to show my brother. If you want mischief, you have the wrong pair of twins," Harry said, his smile becoming slightly strained.

"And where is this book?" Umbridge asked, narrowing her beady eyes.

"Right here, of course," Harry said cheerfully, pulling out a book on Potions. "Alex asked me for help on a Potions essay and I found a book that would help him."

Umbridge growled. She knew she had been cornered; she couldn't go any further without seeming suspicious.

"Very well, continue on your way," she gritted out. "Mr. Evans, you still have detention in my office tonight."

Alex took the slip of paper and turned around. He and Harry walked away.

"I owe you one," Alex muttered.

"Well, you looked like you were about to rip her throat out," Harry said. "She's getting on my nerves too, so I wouldn't blame you if you snapped and killed her on the spot."

Harry took the slip of paper from Alex's hand.

"Detention for roaming in the halls unnecessarily," he read.

Harry snorted and ripped the paper up. The ripped remains burst into flames. Harry dusted the ashes from his hands.

"I really did find something important," Harry said.

Harry glanced around before dragging Alex behind a pillar. He casted a Notice-Me-Not charm and a silencing spell.

"I found the location of the last Horcrux," Harry said, his sickly green eyes sparkling in triumph.

"Where?" Alex asked.

"The last Horcrux is a ring. It is a family heirloom of the Gaunt family, descendants of Salazar Slytherin and Cadmus Peverell." Harry said. "Father stole it away many years ago to make it into one of his Horcruxes. Technically, it is father's second Horcrux, but it is the last one to be found, so it doesn't matter. Right now, it is currently being hidden in Gaunt shack; it has been for decades now. By now, Dumbledore must have an idea of where it is. However, it is cursed."

"Cursed how?" Alex asked.

"Father cursed the ring to kill anyone who dares to wear it." Harry said. "However, I have done further research about the ring and discovered more about it in the Peverell family tree, more about Cadmus Peverell."

Harry leaned in.

"It is said that the ring bears the symbol of the Deathly Hallows," he whispered.

"What exactly are you saying?" Alex hissed.

"I am saying that perhaps this ring is one of the items given to the three Peverell brothers by Death," Harry said, grinning crazily. "It can't be the wand or cloak, so it must be the stone...the resurrection stone."

"How can you be sure? These are just rumors you heard," Alex said.

"For now, that is," Harry said. "There is no way we can get to the ring before Dumbledore does. But if I'm right, he'll know what the ring truly is and be tempted to wear it. If that happens, he will slowly be killed unless he can stop the curse father placed on the ring. If that happens, my suspicions of the ring will be confirmed."

Harry suddenly tugged Alex down, trailing his fingers gently against Alex's cheek.

"Don't go blabbering to father about this," Harry hissed coldly.

Harry leaned in, his sickly green eyes piercing into his soul.

"You wouldn't want me to do something I'd regret later, right, Alex?" Harry muttered. "If you know what's good for you, you'll tell no one of what you heard today."

Alex couldn't help but flinch away from his twin's abrupt harsh tone. It was cold and cutting, something nobody would want to go against in fear of the consequences.

Harry released Alex and dispelled the spells with a mere flick of a wrist, walking away without waiting for a reply from his twin. Alex stared after him and looked down to where his hands throbbed in slight pain. He uncurled his fingers from where they had been digging into his palm. The small crescent shaped cuts were bleeding slightly. Alex ignored it and took a deep breath, calming himself down.

Harry was a very dangerous being and Alex knew that. He was dangerous himself, being a prodigy in the Dark Arts...but Harry was even more so.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

"I have gathered you all here to discuss our next move," Voldemort said.

Several rows of Death Eaters stood before him.

"This plan will be implemented in about five months," Voldemort said. "But because it is a highly important attack, it will take careful planning to plan every move if it is to go successfully. I will warn you now; I will not accept failure with this attack. Any who fails will be eliminated on the spot without hesitation."

Voldemort stared at each Death Eater with intense glaring crimson orbs.

"We will be attacking the Ministry of Magic to retrieve the prophecy," Voldemort said finally. "And in the process, we will cripple the backbone of the wizarding community."

There were murmurs among the Death Eaters.

"Silence," Voldemort snapped.

Everyone immediately fell silent, waiting for the Dark Lord to continue. As Voldemort continued speaking, Snape shuffled uncomfortably. He felt like someone was watching him, but he knew there was nobody. Nobody knew of him being a spy...nobody except those twins. Even if they weren't there, Snape felt like they were watching him. It was unsettling to say the least. It was winter break, so Snape wouldn't be missed at Hogwarts, but the twins were nowhere to be seen in the manor. For some odd reason, the twins had decided to stay at Hogwarts for the break instead of coming back to Riddle Manor or going to the Order headquarters.

Snape forced himself to pay attention to the meeting. It was important information to tell the Order. Voldemort had never made a plan that had this much planning behind it, and especially not several months in advance. It must've been a plan thought out by someone else.

Snape had a bad feeling it had been the twins who created the plan to invade the Ministry for the prophecy.

* * *

"Severus! You're here!" Lily exclaimed, smiling in greeting.

"Hello Lily," Snape said, nodding curtly. "Where is Albus? I need to speak to him. It is urgent."

"He's not here yet," James said, poking his head out of the kitchen. "He owled ahead and said he'd be here in about two hours. Apparently, something came up at the Ministry about Hogwarts."

Sirius snorted from somewhere inside the kitchen.

"Probably that toad, Umbridge!" he called.

"Sirius! Be nice!" Lily scolded.

She turned back to Snape.

"You look tired, Severus. Come in and I'll make you some tea."

Snape nodded and let Lily lead him into the kitchen. She sat him down in the nearest chair and went to make a mug of tea.

"What happened at the meeting?" James asked.

"I think it is best if the headmaster and everyone else were here to hear it," Snape said. "It is a very urgent matter."

"I see," James said, nodding in understanding. "Is it another raid? A big one?"

"No," Snape said. "It is much worse."

"What's much worse?" Eric asked as the trio came into the kitchen. "Professor Snape! You're here!"

"I noticed," Snape said dryly.

Lily set down a mug in front of Snape.

"Drink up; it's cold outside," she said.

Snape took the mug and sipped it. It was chamomile tea; it had a calming effect and didn't taste too badly.

"Professor Snape, I have a few questions in Potions," Hermione said. "Could you help me?"

"Sure," Snape said.

Hermione smiled and sat down, setting down a stack of books on the table.

Two hours later, Dumbledore walked into the house. Remus, Moody, and Tonks had arrived an hour earlier.

"Hello everyone," he greeted warmly, his eyes twinkling.

"Ah Albus, good to see you," James said. "Snape came in a couple hours earlier, saying he had some big news to tell everyone."

"I see," Dumbledore said. "We'll discuss it at the meeting tonight, but for now, let's all just enjoy our first few days of winter break, shall we?"

They sat down for dinner.

"What do you think Snape has to say?" Ron whispered to his two friends.

"Don't know," Eric whispered back. "But it's apparently really important."

"I can ask Fred and George to lend us those ears again," Ron whispered.

"What are you two talking about?" Lily asked.

The two straightened.

"We were talking about...why Alex and Harry didn't join us!" Eric said, sweating slightly.

"I see," Lily said, raising an eyebrow.

"Why did they decide to stay at the school over winter break? They've always gone back home in past years," James said.

"Maybe they're having more issues at their home and decided to avoid it?" Sirius suggested.

"They never indicated they had more issues than usual," Hermione said. "I didn't sense a change in either one."

"Well, I hope they're okay," Lily said. "I should send them a gift. Do they like sweets?"

"Not really," Eric said. "They never went to Hogsmeade when we had the chance. We brought them back some chocolate, but they never ate it."

"I've never seen them eat any sweets," Ron said.

"You forget that Alex hates anything with dairy; that includes chocolate," Hermione said. "As for the other candies we tried giving him, I think he just doesn't like sweets overall."

"What about Harry?" Lily asked.

"He just hates eating," Ron said, snorting. "Except the occasional raw bloody steak."

He shuddered in disgust.

"Don't know how he can stomach that; wouldn't he get sick?" he exclaimed.

"No, Harry actually tried some chocolate I gave him once," Hermione said. "He said it was okay, but he wouldn't eat it all the time, only every once in a while. He loves books though."

"Books are a perfect gift," Lily said. "What are his favorite subjects?"

"Everything," Hermione said. "Harry has books on everything and he's really good at school. Although I believe he favors Potions and Transfiguration over any other subject. He has a lot of books on those two subjects. Alex likes books too, but I'm not sure what he likes."

"It's settled then. I'll get them both some books," Lily said. "I'll buy some books on potions for Harry and...perhaps Alex will like curse breaking?"

"Isn't that a little dark?" James asked.

"Knowledge is knowledge," Lily said. "I'm sure Alex will at least find the subject interesting. I'm not pushing him to become a curse breaker. It is a rather interesting job and you get to travel all over the world, but you do have to meddle a little in dark magic. Maybe I'll get him a book on Arithmancy as well."

James sighed and nodded in acceptance.

After dinner was finished, Molly ushered all the students upstairs. The door was closed for an Order meeting.

"Fred, George, can we borrow those Extendable Ears again?" Ron asked.

"Want to eavesdrop again?" Fred asked.

"Why of course we would help our baby brother cause mischief!" George exclaimed.

They held out three ears.

"Have fun!" they chorused before walking away.

Eric and Ron snuck downstairs. Hermione followed a little slower, muttering how wrong it was to eavesdrop, but despite that, she still joined Eric and Ron. They lowered their ears down to the door. The voices from within became clearer as they listened quietly.

"So Severus, what is this urgent news?" James asked.

Snape sighed.

"The Dark Lord has planned another attack," he said.

"When will it be?" Dumbledore asked.

"This one isn't like the previous attacks," Snape said. "He's told us of this attack several months in advance. It'll be at least five months until it is actually implemented."

"Just what kind of attack is this?" Lily asked in bewilderment. "Usually we only get a few days' notice until the next attack."

"This one is different. It isn't a raid. It is a direct attack on the Ministry. The Dark Lord wants the prophecy," Snape said.

"The prophecy," Dumbledore said. "So he'll personally be leading the attack then."

"Why is that, Albus?" Molly asked. "Couldn't he just send his Inner Circle to retrieve the prophecy?"

"No, that wouldn't work," Moody spoke up. "The prophecy can only be picked up by those actually in it. In this case, it'll be You-Know-Who and the Potter boy. The most of what the rest of us can do is keep the Death Eaters and You-Know-Who from getting the prophecy...unless we get Eric to get the prophecy and slip out while we keep the Death Eaters at bay."

"No. We're not involving my son in this," James said. "He's still too young."

"James, he'll have to get involved sooner or later," Dumbledore said. "He's already faced Voldemort last year during the tournament."

"Because he had no choice but to participate in the tournament!" James exclaimed in anger.

"What happened anyways? You should've found an answer by now, Albus!" Lily demanded.

Dumbledore sighed.

"Well, as you know, we found a Confundus Charm on the goblet, which confused it into believing there were four schools in the tournament instead of three. However, we do not have a clear answer of who did it, but we are certain the intention was to kill Eric." Dumbledore said.

"And that's exactly the reason why we can't involve Eric in this! If he faces You-Know-Who again, he'll be killed for sure! You-Know-Who wouldn't let him get away a second time," James growled. "I bet he'd rather drop the prophecy in order to go after my son! You must understand our predicament Albus."

"I understand perfectly. I had no intention of involving Eric in this plan," Dumbledore said calmly.

James and Lily sat down, placated by this.

"Then what are we going to do?" Remus asked.

"We have no choice but to protect the prophecy. We can't pick it up, so we must prevent Voldemort from getting to the prophecy and hearing the entire thing," Dumbledore said. "We'll have to find it before he does and protect it where it stands until Voldemort and his followers are driven off. Although it is quite a ways away, we must prepare immediately for the attack."

* * *

It was almost the end of the year now. The trio were talking about the plan the Order had been discussing all the way back in winter break.

"I say we go to the Ministry ourselves and get the prophecy. You heard what Moody and Dumbledore said," Ron said in a low voice. "Only you and You-Know-Who can pick up the prophecy."

"It is highly dangerous," Hermione hissed. "Think about the risks we'll be taking! Not only with the Death Eaters but also with the Order!"

"Hermione, we don't want You-Know-Who getting his hands on the prophecy," Ron argued. "Are you saying we just let a good chance of defeating You-Know-Who get away?"

"Of course not; I'm saying it is very dangerous! It's only the three of us against You-Know-Who, his followers, and the Order," Hermione said. "We'll be in big trouble if we're caught by the Order."

"Would you rather be dead? Because that's what we'll be if we're caught by the Death Eaters," Ron said. "We have a better chance if we run into the Order. If we can team up with the Order, we'll stand a better chance. Besides, their fight is about to become ours. We need to be prepared."

"He has a good point," Eric said.

Hermione sighed in frustration. Suddenly, they heard a commotion ahead. They turned the corner to see Alex and Harry scuffling.

"Let me go!" Alex snarled. "Let me go right now!"

Harry tightened his grip on his twin as Alex fought violently to get free. His normally stoic ice blue eyes were now alit with rage.

"Whoa..." Ron breathed. "What happened?"

"I've never seen him angry," Hermione muttered, frowning in concern.

The trio cautiously made their way towards the twins.

"Alex, stop it," Harry said calmly. "You're letting your emotions get the better of you."

"I have a good reason! Now let me go so I can go kill her!" Alex snapped.

Harry's eye twitched. He abruptly lifted Alex into the air and slammed him into the nearby pillar hard. Alex grunted. He slumped down, temporarily stunned.

"Alex!" Hermione exclaimed in shock. "Harry, what are you doing?!"

Harry ignored her as he held Alex against the wall with one arm. With his free hand, he pulled out a vial and opened it. He forced it into Alex's mouth and tipped the contents into his twin's mouth. Alex choked slightly. Harry threw the empty vial away, not caring that the vial shattered upon impact with the ground, and clamped his hand over Alex's mouth so the elder twin couldn't spit the potion out. He tilted Alex's head up. Alex's hand scrambled to grab at Harry's hand to release him, but Harry was relentless.

"Swallow it and I'll let you go, Alex," Harry said, uncharacteristically serious.

The trio remained at a loss of what was happening. They had never seen either of the twins like this. Seeing Alex so out of control was unsettling; what could've possibly made him go off like that in the first place. And seeing Harry so serious and cold, it sent chills through them.

Alex finally swallowed whatever Harry had forced into his mouth. Harry released him and Alex slumped to the ground, panting slightly. He closed his eyes, visibly relaxing.

"Feeling better now?" Harry asked.

Alex only nodded, still recovering his breath.

"That was a calming draught," Harry said. "You've never gone out of control like that before, Alex."

"I know...it's just that toad," Alex said, opening his eyes to look at his twin. "She gets on my nerves like no other. It is rather unsettling."

Harry hummed.

"What happened?!" Hermione demanded.

The twins looked at them.

"Umbridge seems to have taken a liking to giving Alex detentions for no particular reason," Harry said. "Only you would truly understand what her detentions are like, Eric."

Eric winced, rubbing the back of his left hand. He had been careless in the first few DADA classes and had backtalked to Umbridge when she had been observing. He had called her a liar for saying Voldemort's attack during the tournament was mere nonsense and that was Cedric's death was just a tragic accident. He had earned a week's worth of detention with Umbridge. Despite not being a teacher, she still had the power to distribute detentions out to those she felt necessary. But apparently, Alex had it ten times worse than he did.

"I hate her," Alex said, rubbing his left wrist.

Harry knelt down beside him and took his left hand. He slid the sleeve up, revealing white wrappings that were stained slightly with blood. There was a particularly bad one near Alex's elbow that was bleeding slightly. Harry looked at it with a critical eye.

"You should've come to me sooner, Alex," he said.

"It isn't that bad," Alex said, looking away. "I'll tend to it later."

Alex yanked his arm away from Harry, pulling the sleeve down once more.

"You need to tell Dumbledore about this," Hermione said.

"Stay out of it, Hermione," Alex said.

"Alex, this is serious! You need to tell the headmaster or I'll do it for you!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Just drop it!" Alex snapped. "You really think Dumbledore doesn't know what that toad is doing to students? Think again! He knows but he can't do anything because that ugly toad is part of the Ministry! He'd lose his job as headmaster and then the school would be free for Umbridge to take over! To go to Dumbledore about this is to play right into her hands!"

Hermione took a step back in alarm. Alex took several deep breathes, calming himself down again. The calming draught was keeping him from going into another rampage, which he was thankful for.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you like that," Alex muttered. "She just pushes my buttons way too easily."

"It's all right," Hermione said. "You're right after all, about her wanting us to tell Dumbledore and play into her hands."

"Did you guys need something?" Harry asked. "You looked like you were talking about something important before you came upon us."

The trio shared looks before silently agreeing. They turned back to the twins after glancing around for any eavesdroppers.

"We were talking about the latest information the Order had," Eric said. "You-Know-Who is planning an attack on the Ministry to get the prophecy."

"So the Order is going to get the prophecy first and hide it?" Alex asked.

"No, the prophecy can't be picked up by anyone other than You-Know-Who and Eric." Hermione said. "The Order is just going to protect the prophecy and keep You-Know-Who from getting it."

"So you're going to break into the Ministry and get the prophecy before You-Know-Who then?" Harry asked.

"Actually, that's what we're trying to decide," Eric said. "I'm the only one that can pick up the prophecy other than You-Know-Who. The only thing the Order can do is protect it. What we were thinking was for us to sneak in and get the prophecy while the Order distracted You-Know-Who and his followers."

"That is a highly risky plan," Alex said. "You'll only get yourselves killed."

"Not unless we get you two to help us," Ron said. "Harry, you're a genius. Can you come up with a plan for us to sneak in successfully and get the prophecy?"

Harry hummed, tapping his chin.

"Please?" Ron asked. "We have to get that prophecy or You-Know-Who will be one step closer to winning! You have to help us!"

Alex and Harry exchanged looks, communicating silently. Alex scoffed and looked after a few seconds.

"Do whatever you want," he muttered.

Harry smiled slightly as he turned back to the trio.

"How long until the invasion?" he asked.

"We still have a few months," Hermione said. "So you'll help us?"

Harry hummed again, his smile widening.

"I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Two months later, they were sneaking into the Ministry, using the plan Harry created.

"It's so dark," Ron whispered.

"We're entering one of the lower levels; of course it's going to be dark," Hermione hissed. "Now be quiet; there could be guards!"

They carefully made their way through the room. It glowed green. There were tall shelves with swirling orbs seated on them.

"Are those all prophecies?" Ron whispered.

"Yeah," Harry whispered.

"We have to search through all that for the prophecy about me and You-Know-Who?" Eric hissed.

"Yep," Harry replied in a low voice, smiling in amusement. "But you should be drawn towards it...theoretically at least."

"Great," Eric muttered.

"Let's get going; the sooner we find it, the sooner we can get out of here," Hermione whispered.

They walked through the aisles. The dark room was huge, only lit up by the rows and rows of glowing orbs.

"Creepy," Ron muttered.

Suddenly, Alex, who was in front, halted. Everyone stumbled to a halt.

"There's someone up ahead," Alex whispered.

They took out their wands, tensing for a fight.

"Is there someone there?" a familiar voice called suddenly.

"Sirius?" Eric asked without thinking.

There were two lights and Sirius and James came into view.

"Eric? And Ron, Hermione, Alex, and Harry!" Sirius exclaimed. "What are you five doing here?!"

"Eric?!" James exclaimed.

"Er...hi dad," Eric said, laughing sheepishly. "We, uh, kinda heard your conversation about the prophecy and the invasion."

"And so you decided to come in order to get the prophecy before You-Know-Who can get it," James said unhappily. "Do you have any idea how reckless you are being?! This isn't a game!"

"And we're not children anymore! We deserve to know what's going on! I'm the one You-Know-Who is after! I have every right to know about the prophecy as the rest of you do, especially if I'm in it!" Eric retorted.

"Eric? Is that you?" Lily's voice came.

Lily and Remus appeared behind them, their wands lit up at the end. Lily took one look at the situation and sighed.

"I should've expected this," she said.

"Lily, you can't be serious," James said.

"There's no use arguing about it right now. We're expecting an attack at any second now. We can't afford to be arguing right now," Lily said. "We'll split up and search for the prophecy. Eric, go with your father. Ron and Hermione, come with me. Alex, go with Remus. Harry, go with Sirius."

The four small groups went off in separate directions with little fuss.

"Looks like it's just you and me, kid," Sirius said. "Why'd you decide to come here anyways?"

"Eric stated only he and You-know-Who can pick the prophecy up," Harry said. "Alex and I only got involved because the trio are our friends and they asked us for help."

Sirius looked at him for a couple seconds before shaking his head, sighing fondly.

"You're a good kid, Harry," he said. "Both you and Alex."

"Yes, well, Alex and I didn't have very many friends back then, so the ones we do make, we keep close," Harry said smoothly.

It was obviously a lie, but lying was like second nature to Harry. Both he and Alex were good at lying; they lied to their own father plenty of times. Sirius wouldn't be able to tell Harry was lying to save his own life.

They continued walking down the aisles, checking each orb for the correct prophecy. Each prophecy was labeled according to the seer who spoke the prophecy, who the prophecy concerned, and what year it was spoken.

"I think we're getting closer. This one says 1978," Sirius said. "Dumbledore said the prophecy was spoken in 1980."

Harry read two more labels, both incorrect. He was about to move on to the next orb when Sirius made a sound of triumph.

"Hey! I found it!" Sirius exclaimed. "It has Eric's name on it."

Harry made his way over. Sirius leaned in to read the label.

"Let's see, everything looks right...hang on...that isn't the right name." he said. "Who's Harrison Riddle? Shouldn't it be You-Know-Who's name? Is that his real name? I could've sworn it was Tom or something like that. Hey Harry, what do you think? Harry?"

Sirius turned to look at Harry. Harry was frozen in shock.

"Harry? You all right?" Sirius asked, turning towards the teenager.

Suddenly, Harry rushed forward and pushed Sirius out of the way, not caring that Sirius was sent crashing into the opposite side, sending several orbs to the floor, shattering them.

"Hey! Be careful!" Sirius exclaimed, casting quick silencing charms to mask the voices echoing from the shattered orbs.

Harry didn't seem to hear him. He was reading the label on the orb. His eyes were wide in shock as he read the names.

_Sybill Trelawney_

_Harrison Riddle, Eric Potter_

_1980_


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

_Harrison Riddle_

Harry couldn't drag his eyes away from his own name. Why was it there? The prophecy was the correct one. He knew it was Professor Trelawney from Hogwarts who spoke the prophecy. Eric's name was on it. So why was his name on it? The Dark Lord was his father!

These thoughts raced through Harry's mind at light speed. It wasn't possible. The prophecy had been made just before Eric was born as well as before Harry and Alex had been born. The prophecy had always been about his father, Voldemort. Eric was supposed to fight Voldemort, not him! His eyes flitted to scan the surrounding orbs, but none of them had Tom Marvolo Riddle on them.

So why was his true name on that label?

Harry began thinking, his eyes still staring at the label on the orb. Is it possible they made a mistake on the labeling of the orb? No, that wouldn't happen. Seers don't make mistakes; they see into the future. It may not be clear at first, but seers never misspoke a prophecy. And the prophecy itself...it never said specifically who the Dark Lord was, just that the Dark Lord is coming and the Chosen One would be the one to stand against them. Harry had never heard the entire prophecy, but he knew enough about it to figure out what was going on.

Voldemort had been the only Dark Lord coming forth at the time of the prophecy, so it was assumed the prophecy was talking about him. As for Eric, that part was right. He was born as the seventh month died, which was July 31st. And to fulfill the prophecy, either the Dark Lord or the Chosen One would have to die, which meant...

Either Harry or Eric would have to die in a battle to the death against each other.

"Harry!" Sirius's voice broke through his thoughts.

Harry's head snapped towards the Auror.

"What's your deal?" Sirius asked.

He gestured to all the broken orbs around him.

"You pushed me hard enough to break all these prophecies," Sirius said. "We're going to get in a lot of trouble for this, you know."

Sirius walked closer, leaning over Harry's shoulder to read the label of the prophecy again.

"So why'd you panic anyways? Do you know this Riddle guy or something? I could've sworn Dumbledore said You-Know-Who's real name was Tom or something."

"Tom Marvolo Riddle," Harry said quietly.

"Yeah, that's it," Sirius said. "It was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't think of it."

Suddenly, Sirius frowned and looked at Harry, eyes wide in surprise and suspicion.

"Hang on, how do you know that name?" he asked warily. "There's no way you could've heard that name unless you were listening to that meeting where Dumbledore told us, but you weren't even that close to the trio until a couple years ago. The only other way is if..."

Sirius's eyes widened even more and he slowly backed away.

"Is if what?" Harry asked, tilting his head.

His sickly green eyes seemed to glare directly into Sirius's soul, paralyzing him. Harry turned towards him and took a step forward. Sirius found he couldn't move.

"What were you going to say, Sirius?" Harry asked.

The normally cheerful boy was gone, replaced by something darker...something that didn't even seem human. Sirius gulped, fear rising in him as Harry stalked towards him like a predator.

"Y-your name...it isn't Evans...is it?" Sirius managed to say.

A sinister smile curled upwards on Harry's lip as the teen drew closer.

"No...it isn't," Harry purred.

"You and Alex, you were lying this whole time," Sirius said.

"Correct; you're rather smart when you put your mind to it," Harry said, slightly mocking.

Harry glanced at the orb and it was like a spell was broken. Sirius found he could move and breathe easier now that Harry wasn't looking at him anymore. Those unnatural green orbs were paralyzing, cold, dark...holding something back.

"Only one way to find out if the label is right," Harry muttered.

Harry reached towards the orb. Sirius immediately realized he was planning on picking up the orb.

"Stop!" Sirius shouted, lunging forward.

Harry flicked a hand at him without looking. Sirius was blasted back, breaking several more orbs in the process. Loud voices filled the air, overlapping one another as they spewed their prophecies. Sirius groaned and forced his head up, watching helplessly as Harry picked up the orb.

The orb did nothing to Harry. Harry hummed as he trailed a finger across the glass surface. His fingers were clawed, Sirius noticed. How had he not noticed those translucent white claws before? How had nobody noticed before?

"So, it is true," Harry said, chuckling darkly. "The prophecy was always about me. I never expected that. How interesting~"

"Who-who are you?" Sirius gritted out.

There was glass in his hair and glass digging into the palms of his hands. Harry's piercing green eyes locked onto him. His eerie smile widened and for the first time, Sirius saw Harry's true self. He was unstable, psychotic, dark, a genius in all arts...Sirius could see a true dark lord. Voldemort was nothing compared to Harry.

"My true name is Harrison Riddle." Harry spoke. "As for who I am in relation to Voldemort...well, he's my father."

"Your...father?" Sirius managed to choke out in shock. "That would mean Alex..."

"Yes, Alex is really Alexander Riddle," Harry said.

"Snape said something about brothers serving in You-Know-Who's army," Sirius muttered, still in shock.

"Yes, that's us," Harry said. "I am that potions genius. You're the one who blasted my twin into a house and impaled him on a piece of wood...or was that James? I can't remember."

Harry giggled cheerfully.

"You don't need to answer that," he said. "After all, you won't be alive for much longer."

Sirius's head snapped up in alarm at those words. Harry blinked innocently.

"Surely you can't think I'll let you live after finding out about this, right?" Harry stated. "I was going to kill you anyways after what you saw in Alex's memory, the memory of our mother. This is just another incentive to kill you."

Sirius scrambled to get his wand but it flew out of his hand. Harry caught it effortlessly.

"You won't be needing this anymore," Harry said, suddenly emotionless.

With a flick of his wrist, Harry snapped Sirius's wand in half and threw it to the side. Sirius clenched his fists. He knew he couldn't escape, no matter how hard he tried. He couldn't call for help either; the others were too far away. And if they happened to hear his voice, Harry would kill them as well.

"Thinking about saving your friends by dying quietly? How noble~" Harry said. "That will only stall time for their deaths, but they'll all die eventually. It is inevitable."

"They'll catch you," Sirius said in a low voice. "You won't get away with this."

"I've been getting away with all my plans for years now," Harry said. "You and the rest of the Order let Alex and I into the Order without even checking in our family background; and it was all because that annoying know-it-all Granger said we had a bad life at home. It made you pity us and welcome us into 12 Grimmauld Place without a second thought. Really, you are all quite naïve sometimes; it is amusing."

Harry looked at the prophecy.

"As for this...well, you don't need to know anything else. Goodbye, Sirius Black."

There was no words or wave of a wand; just a flash of green light. That was the last thing Sirius ever saw before he slipped away into darkness.


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

Turning away from Sirius's dead body, Harry focused on the orb.

"The prophecy...let's hear you," Harry muttered to himself.

He tilted his hand and let the orb fall from his hand. It smashed against the floor, the green mist swirling as it rose from the broken shards of its container.

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..._

Harry hummed. Hearing the entire prophecy was rather confusing...he would have to think of how each line of the prophecy related to him. For sure, he didn't remember marking Eric as his equal.

The green mist from the orb dissipated. Harry turned away from it. The orb was useless to him now that it had been broken. Besides, it was a mere record of the prophecy. Going to Trelawney herself was useless since she wouldn't remember speaking the prophecy...but anyone who was there to witness it surely remembered it.

Harry tucked his hands into his pocket and walked down the aisle. He hummed softly as he walked through the dark hallways. He never glanced back at the broken prophecy or the dead body of Sirius Black.

* * *

"It isn't this one either," Remus said.

"This one was spoken in 1980, but has the wrong names," Alex said, peering at an orb's label.

They turned down another aisle and walked forward slowly, checking the orbs.

"These are all 1978," Remus said, humming. "This is going to take forever at the rate we're going. The Death Eaters could attack any second now."

"Just be patient, professor," Alex said.

"Shouldn't I be telling you that?" Remus asked, sighing. "Well, you and your brother have always been too mature for your age."

"I noticed Harry has been spending a lot of time in your office. What exactly have you two been talking about?" Alex asked.

"He doesn't tell you?" Remus asked.

"Regardless of what you think, Harry doesn't tell me everything. He tells me only the important details; nothing more, nothing less," Alex said.

"You two may not seem close, but I think you're closer than you may think," Remus said. "It is subtle, but you care for Harry a lot."

Alex scoffed. Remus ignored him, continuing to speak.

"And Harry cares for you as well," he said. "Your care for each other goes deep, stemming from your childhood, a result from your lonely childhood. You and Harry only had each other."

"What makes you think our childhood was lonely?" Alex asked quietly. "Did Hermione tell you her theory about us?"

"That...and also I can see it clearly in the two of you," Remus said, glancing at the teen. "You are aloof to anyone who tries to get close. Even now, you don't trust anyone, not even Hermione who managed to become a friend. You keep her at a distance and you rarely reach out to anyone else. But Harry, he knows you inside out and you know him just as well. Siblings tend to be like that, but coming from a lonely childhood, your bond with Harry is much deeper."

Alex didn't say anything in response. Suddenly, Remus grunted and stumbled.

"What was that?" Remus asked. "I tripped over something."

Alex turned his wand to the direction Remus had tripped.

"Sirius!" Remus exclaimed.

Remus knelt down and checked Sirius's vitals.

"He's dead..." Remus breathed.

Alex made the light brighter, revealing broken orbs surrounding Sirius's body.

"What on earth happened here?!" Remus exclaimed.

"We didn't hear anything. Sirius must've been ambushed," Alex said.

Remus suddenly looked around.

"Where's Harry?! He was with Sirius!" he exclaimed.

"Perhaps they got separated," Alex said. "We need to find the others and let them know."

Remus and Alex ran down the aisle. They saw a light up ahead.

"It's Lily! Hermione and Ron should be with her," Remus exclaimed.

Lily looked up, tensed to fight when she heard them coming. But she quickly relaxed when she saw it was them.

"Remus? And Alex? What are you doing here?" Lily hissed. "Did you find the orb?"

"No," Remus said. "We found something worse."

"What happened?" Lily demanded.

"Where are the others?" Alex cut in.

"We're right here," James's voice came from behind them. "We saw you guys running and decided to see what's going on. What happened, Remus?"

Remus clenched his fists.

"Sirius...is dead," he said.

"What?" James breathed.

"But how?" Lily asked in shock. "We didn't hear any attack."

"I don't know how," Remus said. "But it's an ambush. The Death Eaters are probably trying to pick us off one by one."

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know," Remus said. "Harry was nowhere to be found."

"Is it possible Harry was the one who..."

James couldn't finish the sentence, but everyone understand what he was about to say.

"James! You actually believe someone like Harry could kill Sirius? Harry may be a genius and a little creepy at times, but I can't see him killing anyone!" Lily exclaimed.

"It's still possible," James argued. "Appearances can be deceiving sometimes Lily."

"We'll find Harry and he'll tell us what happened," Lily said firmly. "Until then, we need to focus on finding the orb."

"After what happened, it isn't safe for us to split up. We need to stay together. More power and safety in numbers," Remus said.

"That's also risky," James said. "We'd be a big target."

"On the other hand, we don't know how many Death Eaters there are," Lily said. "If they catch us three to one, we're finished. At least like this, we have a fighting chance until the Aurors and the Order come."

Suddenly, a burning pain slashed through Alex. Alex was barely able to withhold a hiss of pain. He clenched his left fist. He understood what it meant. Voldemort was here now. The invasion had begun. He had to find Harry now.

"Alex, you okay? You're falling behind a little," Hermione said, touching his shoulder.

Alex looked at her.

"I'm fine," he said, managing to keep composed through the burning pain of his Dark Mark.

"Everyone, stop," James said.

Everyone halted.

"I hear something up ahead," James said after a few minutes of listening. "It sounds like fighting."

"The invasion's started," Lily said. "We need to go."

They broke into a run, soon running out of the aisles. They broke through a door where the sound was originating from. It was loud now. Aurors and Death Eaters were fighting furiously. James and Remus quickly closed the door to the dark room just before a few Death Eaters could sneak in.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, pointing.

They all looked over to see Harry fighting. He was with Tonks and Moody, fighting against a tall Death Eater. Remus and Alex leapt forward in unison, racing to reach Harry. Remus blasted the Death Eater aside while Alex checked over Harry.

"I'm fine," Harry said, brushing his twin off.

"Where were you?" Remus exclaimed. "I thought you were with Sirius!"

"We got separated," Harry said. "We decided to split up to check two aisles at the same time. I reached the end of my aisle, but I didn't see Sirius come out of his aisle. Tonks found me and brought me over to Moody. I stayed with them and then we were attacked by the Death Eaters. Do you know what happened to Sirius?"

"He's dead," Remus said grimly.

"What?" Harry asked, his eyes widening.

Remus nodded in confirmation.

"Sirius was ambushed. There wasn't time for him to fight back against his attacker," Remus said.

"We don't have time to mourn right now," Alex said. "We're in a fight for our lives right now!"

Harry brought up a shield to block a dark spell from a Death Eater. There was a screeching laugh.

"Bellatrix Lestrange," Remus said darkly. "I'd know that laugh anywhere."

"Ooh, you're so smart!" Bellatrix exclaimed as she killed an Auror.

She stalked towards them, a crazy look in her dark eyes. Her wild curly hair fell in her face and Bellatrix brushed it aside roughly.

"Let's see, a member of the Order? And two ickle children! I'll have fun killing you three!" Bellatrix crowed insanely.

"You two, get out of here!" Remus exclaimed. "I'll hold her off."

Alex and Harry nodded and made to run off, only to be cut off by two more Death Eaters.

"We're not letting you brats get away so easily," one said, cackling.

"And don't expect us to go easy on you because you're little brats!" the other exclaimed.

Alex and Harry blocked a spell. Alex flung a stunning spell at one Death Eater, but it was deflected easily.

"Is that the best you got, kid?" the Death Eater mocked.

Alex sighed.

"How I hate using light spells," he muttered only loud enough for Harry to hear.

Harry giggled slightly.

"Of course you do," he said.

"Oi! What are you brats talking about?" the second Death Eater growled.

"Doesn't matter; they'll be dead anyways," the first Death Eater said, shrugging.

"How's Lupin doing?" Alex asked.

Harry glanced over.

"Not too badly," he said. "He's doing well, considering who he's up against. Bellatrix is always a formidable opponent."

Alex grunted in agreement.

"Is anyone watching?" he muttered.

"Nope! You're clear; go wild, Alex," Harry said, smiling.

Alex grinned in bloodlust.

"I've really been itching to kill someone. Too bad it has to be you two," Alex said.

The two Death Eaters only had a second to look confused before they were struck with excruciating pain. Alex released the shield and straightened. He put up a silencing spell so no one would hear the screams of the Death Eaters. The screams grew louder as the two Death Eaters writhed in agony on the ground.

"You know, I wonder which one is more painful. Your curse or father's," Harry said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Now that I think about it, I think it is yours."

"Oh?" Alex asked, looking interested.

Harry nodded. Alex looked mildly satisfied as he looked at his victims.

"I suppose I should kill them now," he said.

"Don't kill them; it'll look suspicious," Harry said. "Wipe their memories first and then knock them out."

Alex grumbled.

"Fine," he finally consented, looking quite disappointed.

He stopped the curse and the Death Eaters laid on the ground, panting and groaning in pain. Harry flicked his wand at them.

"Obliviate," he said.

The Death Eaters were hit with the spell and looked dazed as their memory of the encounter with the twins was erased.

"Stupefy," Harry said next.

The two Death Eaters were blasted into the wall, knocking them unconscious instantly.

"There, perfectly good fight," Harry said, dispelling the silencing spell.

They looked back to where Remus was fighting Bellatrix.

"Well that can't be good," Harry said.

Remus had been disarmed and Bellatrix had him cornered, cackling the entire time. The twins rushed forward. Harry blasted Bellatrix back while Alex grabbed Remus and dragged him away.

"Wait! What about Harry?!" Remus exclaimed.

"Harry can take care of himself. He knows when to give up a fight he can't win," Alex said. "He'll come soon."

"Look, I think that's You-Know-Who," Remus said, pointing up ahead.

Alex looked in the direction Remus was pointing and sure enough, his father was fighting Dumbledore.

"The Death Eaters are starting to retreat," Remus said.

"That's because there are more Aurors coming," Alex said, nodding towards the Floo system.

More Aurors piled into the hall, as well as Fudge himself. Voldemort saw this and hissed angrily.

"Retreat!" he shouted.

All the Death Eaters listened to the Dark Lord and Apparated out of there, only some being captured by the Aurors.

"It's over," Remus said, sighing in relief.

Harry came over. He had a few cuts and bruises, but looked fine otherwise.

"You all right, Harry? You were fighting Bellatrix after all," Remus said.

"I'm fine," Harry said. "Here's your wand."

Harry held out Remus's wand and Remus took it back gratefully.

"Harry! There you are!" Lily exclaimed, rushing over. "When we didn't find you, we were worried you were captured or killed! What happened?!"

"Yes, why weren't you with Sirius?" James asked, crossing his arms.

"We decided to go down separate aisles to make searching for the prophecy quicker. I finished my aisle, but I didn't see Sirius. I was about to go look for him when Tonks and Moody found me. They had me stay with them and then the Death Eaters attacked." Harry explained.

"It's true," Tonks said, walking over. "We found Harry at the end of one of the aisles. We brought him with us since it isn't safe to be alone. And we figured Sirius would be safe since he's capable of taking care of himself."

"Sirius is dead," James said.

Tonks's eyes widened.

"No...no, that can't be true!" Tonks exclaimed.

"It is," Remus said sadly. "Alex and I found him."

"He died with honor, fighting to protect those he loved. Let's remember him that way," Lily said.

"What about the prophecy? We may have driven You-Know-Who and his followers off, but what about the prophecy?" Tonks asked. "Did you guys find it?"

"No," James said, shaking his head. "We think Sirius was ambushed by a Death Eater."

"Several prophecies were broken around him, but we checked them," Remus said. "None of them was the prophecy You-Know-Who is after."

"At least that's one piece of good news," Tonks said, sighing.

"I know who killed Sirius," Harry suddenly said.

Everyone turned to him in surprise.

"It was Bellatrix Lestrange," Harry said. "She killed Sirius. She was bragging about it while we were fighting."

"You fought Bellatrix Lestrange?" James asked.

"I had to stall for time while Alex got Remus out of there," Harry said. "She killed Sirius in a silent ambush."

"That's not like her." James said, frowning. "Perhaps she put up a silencing spell before ambushing Sirius."

"That's probably what happened," Harry said. "She didn't specify how she killed him, only that she killed him."

"I see," James said, clenching his fists tightly.

"James," Lily warned.

"No Lily, I will get revenge for Sirius," James cut her off before she could continue. "Next time we fight, Bellatrix is mine."

Lily sighed.

"Don't let it consume you," she said instead.

"I won't," James promised.

"Let's just get back. We've all had a long night," Remus said. "You five, you need to get back to Hogwarts. You'll have to get your injuries checked out. You've all been through quite a traumatic experience."

"I think I'll take you guys home for the rest of the year," Lily said. "You need time to recover from Sirius's death and this battle. I'm sure Albus will agree with me."

* * *

It was the middle of July. It had been a couple months since the attack on the Ministry. Harry was in the library at 12 Grimmauld Place. He skimmed through the books, looking for a specific one. He had spoken to Walburga a little while ago and she had confirmed that the library had the book he was looking for; he just had to find it.

"Harry," he heard Alex's voice behind him.

Harry turned to look at his twin. On the nearby chair, Hedwig lifted her head, her golden eyes looking curiously at Alex before she settled down once more.

"Yes?" Harry asked.

Alex glanced around and a second later, Harry felt a silencing spell come up.

"It wasn't Bellatrix, was it?" Alex stated.

Harry giggled.

"I have such a clever brother," he said cheerfully.

"I know you far too well, Harry. You can lie to everyone else, but not to me. Why did you kill Sirius?"

Harry turned back to the bookshelf.

"Now isn't the right time to tell you, Alex," he said. "I will tell you soon, but not now."

"What about the prophecy?" Alex asked.

"I found it. Sirius found it first actually," Harry said.

"So you destroyed it in order to hear the entire thing," Alex said.

"Indeed," Harry said. "As for why I did what I did, that has to do with Sirius's death. You'll have to be patient, dear brother; I will tell you everything soon."

Alex narrowed his eyes before nodding.

"Very well," he said. "It is almost August. Father is expecting us back soon."

"Then we can leave in a week," Harry said. "I just have to find something first."

Alex studied him for several more seconds before walking out without another word. The silencing spell disappeared. Harry continued scanning the books, spreading his magic out subtly to search for the book he wanted.

"Where are you?" Harry muttered.

His magic suddenly alerted him. Harry followed his magic to a dark corner of the library. He reached out to touch the book but paused. He could sense a dreadful curse protecting the book from being opened. Harry chuckled softly as he effortlessly destroyed the curse with his magic. He grabbed the book and dusted it off. He walked over to where Hedwig was sleeping. He sat on the edge and stroked the black cat's pelt. Hedwig purred slightly as Harry looked at the book, reading the title. He smiled in triumph.

"Soon," Harry muttered. "Everyone will know the truth."

He chuckled darkly.


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

It was the week before sixth year started. Alex walked into the lab. Harry was busy brewing a potion. Alex recognized the vibrant red color as Harry's invented healing potion.

"You're back already? I thought father would keep you longer," Harry said without turning around.

"He was discussing plans about attacking Hogwarts soon," Alex said. "He wants us to bring down the wards from inside the school."

Harry hummed.

"Easy enough," he said absentmindedly.

Hedwig walked into the room, rubbing against Alex's legs before running off to bat something in the corner. She meowed playfully as she pawed at the object.

"Hedwig, get away from there," Harry said, glancing over briefly.

Alex walked over and picked up the cat. Hedwig purred as he scratched her chin. She yawned. Alex looked at the object Hedwig had been playing with to see a glass container with a toad in it.

"Why do you have a toad?" Alex asked, glancing at his twin. "Another test subject?"

"Not quite," Harry said. "It's a gift."

"Gift? For who?" Alex asked. "You're not the type of give out gifts, Harry."

"It's a gift for you, Alex," Harry said.

Alex raised an eyebrow, unamused.

"Why would you get me a toad?" he asked.

"Don't sound so unhappy yet," Harry said as he bottled up the last of his potion.

Harry flicked his hand and the vials of the healing potion appeared next to the other vials of the same potion. He walked over and picked up the container. He set it on the table after banishing his potions equipment.

"You see, I happened upon this toad and decided it would be a very nice present for you," Harry said, smiling cheerfully.

"Again, why would you get me a toad of all things?" Alex asked.

"Patience is a virtue to everything, Alex," Harry sang, waving a finger at his twin.

Alex's eyes twitched in annoyance.

"Just tell me," he growled.

Harry pouted.

"So mean," he muttered.

He perked up quickly and poked the container. The toad glared at him.

"Of course when I saw this toad, I mean I saw it in...quite a different form," Harry said.

Alex's eyes widened in realization. He peered at the toad closer. He could see tinges of ugly pink along with the green and black colors.

"If you don't want your gift, I can always take care of it myself," Harry said, taunting him.

"Stop it," Alex said. "You could've told me it was the toad woman in the first place."

Harry hummed.

"Where's the fun in that?" he asked. "But putting that aside, think of it as a late birthday gift."

Alex almost jumped when he felt Harry's hand grab his right arm gently and slide the sleeve up, revealing all the scars from the blood quill and detentions from fifth year; there were more on his left arm. Harry trailed his fingers over the scarred sentences.

"Blood quills are a very cruel thing indeed; they are illegal as well," Harry muttered. "Turning Umbridge into a toad; it's quite suiting for her, yes?"

"Yes," Alex agreed softly.

"I can get rid of the scars if you want," Harry said.

"Leave them," Alex said.

Harry looked at him in question.

"With the scars, I have an excuse for wearing the wrappings on both arms," Alex said.

"I see," Harry said, releasing Alex's arm. "I suppose that is a good enough reason to keep the scars."

Alex frowned. Harry sounded very unhappy. But Alex didn't blame him; the scars were sentences of terrible things Umbridge forced him to write. No one would want them to be on their skin. Only Alex, Harry, and Umbridge knew what the sentences said...and soon, it would only be Alex and Harry who knew.

Alex looked at the toad in the jar. He smiled slightly. The chance to torture and kill the toad was a good birthday gift. He couldn't ask for anything better.

* * *

"Sixth year," Ron said, sighing. "I can't believe it. We're almost graduating, guys."

"We have two more years, including this one," Eric said.

"That's the thing, Eric. Two years! It's like the past five years were nothing! They passed by so quickly! I feel so old now!" Ron exclaimed.

"Don't we learn to Apparate this year?" Eric asked.

"Well, we were supposed to learn last year I think, but because of Umbridge, that got withheld," Hermione said. "So, yes, we'll be learning to Apparate this year."

"Yes!" Ron exclaimed excitedly.

"It'll be later in the year though," Hermione said.

Ron groaned at the thought of having to wait.

"Anyways, did you guys see Dumbledore's hand?" Eric asked. "It's all black, like it got burnt or something."

"I think everyone saw his hand," Hermione said. "But the headmaster isn't going to just tell us. It's his own business and we shouldn't be nosy about it."

"You're right," Eric said, sighing. "But I can't help but wonder what happened."

"Understandable," Alex said emotionlessly.

He glanced at Harry. The younger twin was smiling slightly himself. Alex knew it was because Harry's theory about the Gaunt ring and Dumbledore had been correct. Harry seemed pleased about it, but if Dumbledore had found the ring, it also meant he destroyed it after trying to use it. It was both good and bad news. Good because Voldemort still didn't know about the resurrection stone and now he never would; bad because the ring had been a Horcrux. Voldemort had six Horcruxes left now. Five of them were safe. The last one, the cup, was now vulnerable, especially if Dumbledore and the Order went on a hunt for it.

"Harry, I need to talk to you about something. It's about a book," Alex said. "You three go ahead of us."

The trio nodded and walked off. Harry looked at his twin.

"What?" he asked.

Alex dragged Harry behind a pillar.

"The ring's been destroyed, hasn't it?" he asked in a low voice.

"Most likely," Harry said, smirking deviously.

"We need to get the cup soon," Alex said.

"It's in Bellatrix's vault, so it's safe for now," Harry said.

"For now," Alex stressed. "Soon, Dumbledore and the Order will start looking for the rest of the Horcruxes. They'll find out soon enough that five of them are perfectly safe within the manor, but the cup is more easily accessible than the others. It'll be in our favor if we retrieve it before anyone else can."

Harry hummed.

"You have a fair point, Alex." he said.

Harry frowned thoughtfully.

"Very well, I will come up with a plan to get the cup," he said. "We'll keep an eye on the trio and if you or I believe they know about the Horcruxes, we'll implement a plan to get the cup out of Bellatrix's vault as soon as possible."

Alex nodded.

"What about Snape?" he asked.

"What about him?" Harry asked, tilting his head.

"I think it is time we tell father about him," Alex replied. "We have no use for him anymore. We're safely in the Order and they don't suspect us."

"You're right," Harry said. "I suppose we could tell father soon. When does father plan on attacking Hogwarts?"

"He didn't give me a specific time," Alex said. "He just said it was going to be soon."

"We'll tell him just before the attack then." Harry said. "Or perhaps during the invasion. That way it won't be too suspicious."

Alex nodded and was about to walk out from behind the pillar when Harry caught his sleeve. Alex looked back at his twin.

"There is something else I wish to tell you...something very important," Harry said, suddenly serious.

"What is it?" Alex asked.

Harry hesitated before releasing Alex's sleeve.

"Not just yet; this isn't the place to tell you," Harry said. "I'll tell you when we go home for winter break."

"This has something to do with the prophecy, doesn't it?" Alex stated.

"Yes, but it is very sensitive information," Harry said. "I will tell you at winter break."

Alex narrowed his ice blue eyes.

"Don't back out," he said. "You'll tell me everything at winter break."

"Don't worry, I promise I will," Harry said.

* * *

"Did you guys hear?" Ron asked.

It was almost winter break now.

"About what?" Alex asked.

"That Ministry official from last year, Umbridge, she's missing," Ron said. "The papers are saying she was captured by Death Eaters."

"Do you guys see a pattern? The same thing happened to Lockhart," Hermione said, frowning. "He was annoying and within the first week of summer, he went missing. Now the same thing's happened to Umbridge."

"They haven't found her yet though," Ron said. "Do you think the Death Eaters will kill her?"

"Chances are, whoever kidnapped and tortured Lockhart back in second year, the same person kidnapped Umbridge. They must be really annoyed and hateful of Umbridge, so it is possible they won't kill her but instead torture her into insanity. With how horrible a person she is, a simple painless death by the killing curse is too kind for her." Harry said.

"How morbid, Harry," Hermione said, frowning in disapproval. "You shouldn't talk about things like that."

"But you have to admit, it is a fair point," Harry said. "Killing someone is horrible...but making them insane to the point they can't even function, that's more horrible than death any day."

"I suppose so," Hermione said slowly.

"Why would you even say something like that?" Eric asked. "It's very disturbing that you can even come up with something that terrible."

"It's true though," Alex said. "Imagine you're the villain for a second and you wish to make someone you despise suffer. Would you simply kill them?"

"...No," Hermione said hesitantly.

"No is the correct answer," Alex said. "Instead, you would take everything from them and force them to watch. Taking away loved ones and being forced to watch that would break anyone. Torturing those same loved ones will break their willpower, make them feel absolutely powerless. They'll believe they can't do anything to stop the villain because they couldn't escape to help their loved ones. And then releasing them back into society and forcing them to live with the fact that they have nothing left in the world left; that is how you truly make someone suffer."

"But not in the case of Umbridge; no, the villain would have to completely break their mind. People like Umbridge and Lockhart; they don't have loved ones because they love themselves too much. Instead, you break them and take away everything that makes them, them," Harry said. "Take away their humanity and they'll be a shell of who they once were."

"You talk like you've done this before," Hermione said.

"Of course not, we've read a lot of books about this when we were little," Harry said, smiling innocently. "Besides, it is a simple matter of thinking it through. What I explained before, that's most likely what Umbridge is going through. She's either already dead, tortured into insanity, or she's going to be killed. And the fact that the Aurors have no clue where she is, chances are it'll be too late when they do find her."

"You guys have a very dark way of thinking sometimes. It's really unsettling," Eric said.

"Results from our lonely childhood," Alex said dryly.

Hermione sighed.

"Let's just change the subject," she mumbled.

"Good plan. This conversation is taking a dark turn," Ron said. "What are you guys doing for winter break?"

"Just going home," Alex said.

"You can come to the Order's headquarters if you want," Eric said.

"It's fine," Alex said. "We already told our parents we were coming back anyways."

"All right...if you change your mind, you're always welcome to come to the headquarters," Eric said.

"I'm going to be at the headquarters as well," Hermione said.

"I thought you usually went home to celebrate Yule with your parents," Ron said.

"It's getting risky. I don't want them targeted," Hermione said.

"All right, if that's what you want," Eric said, nodding.

"I've already sent them a letter explaining everything," Hermione said. "They understand my reasoning, you know, with the war coming up and all."

Hermione looked at the twins.

"You two stay safe, okay? You-Know-Who could attack at any time, so we have to be prepared for that." she said.

"We know, Hermione; don't worry about us," Alex said.

The twins gave reassuring smiles to the trio.

* * *

Harry sighed in boredom. He looked at his hands.

"I haven't done a Transfiguration experiment in a long time," he muttered. "Too occupied by everything, I suppose."

"What are you doing? Planning to transfigure another body part?" Alex asked, coming into the lab.

"Thinking about it," Harry replied, dropping his hands into his lap.

Alex came over and kicked his chair lightly.

"You promised to tell what's going on with the prophecy. I'm holding you to that; tell me everything," Alex said, leaving no room for argument.

Harry straightened up in his chair.

"So demanding, Alex," he grumbled.

Alex didn't reply; he just crossed his arms, waiting for Harry to speak. Harry dug out something from his pocket and held it out to his twin. Alex raised an eyebrow as he took it. He frowned as he read the small slip of old parchment.

"What is this?" Alex asked, looking at his younger twin.

"Every prophecy has a label, all containing three things. The first line you see is the name of the seer who delivered the prophecy. The second line is the people involved in the prophecy. The third line is the year it was spoken. That label is the prophecy father is so intent on getting," Harry said.

"Why does it have your name on it?" Alex asked. "Last time I checked, father's name was Tom Marvolo Riddle."

"Exactly," Harry said. "I thought it was a misprint, so I picked up the prophecy. Only those involved in the prophecy would be able to pick up the prophecy; anyone else would've been severely injured or killed. But I was just fine, confirming the names on the label."

"This is ridiculous. Are you saying you're the true Dark Lord in the prophecy? And that father is just a fake one?" Alex asked, scowling.

"Father is a Dark Lord, just not the one in the prophecy." Harry said seriously. "Sirius was the one who found the prophecy. He read the label out loud. That's how I found out about this."

"And that's why you killed him," Alex said. "He found out your true identity, so you killed him and pinned his death on Bellatrix."

"Of course, that's not the only reason, remember?" Harry asked. "He saw that memory inside your mind, the one of our mother. But yes, I pinned his death on Bellatrix. More believable, yes?"

"Actually, for a couple seconds, James Potter was saying it was possible you killed Sirius," Alex said. "The others shut him down quickly though."

"So they suspected me and then they dropped it; they most likely forgot about it by now with everything that's going on," Harry said. "With our backstory, they won't believe we have the capability to take another's life so easily because they're too busy pitying us. How naïve they are."

"I don't know the entire prophecy, but I know enough," Alex said. "What about the marking of an equal? You never did that with Eric."

"Yes, I know that...but neither did father," Harry said calmly. "I am still figuring out the prophecy myself, Alex."

Alex sighed and let it go for now. He held up the label.

"What are you going to do about this?" he asked. "You cannot tell father about this; he'd kill you."

Harry huffed in amusement.

"Yes, he certainly will, which is why we won't tell him anything. If he asks, we'll tell him it was broken during the raid on the Ministry," he said.

"And if he finds out the truth?"

Harry's lips curled upward in a sadistic smile.

"We kill him, of course~"


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

The end of the year was approaching quickly, faster than anyone could've expected. At the same time, tension had increased in the air. Everyone was expecting an attack by now. Ever since the attack on the Ministry, everyone was on edge. If Voldemort attacked the Ministry, he could easily attack Hogwarts at any time now. The only thing that kept everyone within the castle relatively at ease were the wards that protected Hogwarts. Nobody could Apparate into the castle, within the castle, or outside the castle. There were shields that protected the school and could be reinforced by the professors.

Currently, everyone was taking their finals, so even without the threat of an attack, the atmosphere would've been tense either way.

Alex was done with all his finals, as was Harry. They had also passed the Apparation course easily since they already knew how to Apparate, learning it from a young age.

The twins were walking to the Great Hall when Alex hissed in pain. He resisted gripping his left wrist as it burned hotly. He tried to ignore it, but it grew stronger. It seemed Voldemort wanted him right that moment. In his thoughts, Alex cursed his father.

A cool hand grasped his hand. Alex's head snapped towards Harry. Harry emotionlessly pulled Alex over to the side and behind a pillar. He silently lifted Alex's left arm up and slid the sleeve up. He started to unwrap the white wrappings around the Dark Mark. Alex stiffened and tried to pull away, but Harry held him tightly.

"Relax, Alex," Harry ordered.

It was like a wave of Calming Draught washed through him; Alex felt the need to get away die out of him. Harry undid the wrappings, revealing the Dark Mark. His pale slender, slightly clawed fingers brushed against the mark.

"Do you honestly believe I would let anyone see this?" Harry muttered. "You're safe as long as I'm around, Alex."

Harry suddenly dug his clawed nails into the Dark Mark. Alex hissed in pain and tried to yank his arm away. Harry's other hand, which held his wrist, tightened to an unbearably iron tight grip.

"Hold still," Harry said.

Blood dripped down Alex's arm. Harry withdrew his claws, the translucent white stained with crimson. He carefully wrapped the white wrappings around Alex's wrist, covering the now bloodied Dark Mark. Blood stained the white wrappings. Harry finally released Alex's arm and Alex stepped away from his twin.

A second later, he realized he wasn't in pain anymore. Harry leaned in and touched Alex's cheek, staining his pale skin with trails of blood.

"You only need to ask if you're in pain," Harry muttered. "Go now."

Harry pressed something small into Alex's hand. He felt a tug in his stomach before he disappeared from Hogwarts.

Alex appeared in the throne room of the Riddle Manor. The only occupants were Voldemort and Nagini.

"You're late," Voldemort said.

"It'd be suspicious if I left without an excuse," Alex said, bowing. "My apologies, father."

"The attack on Hogwarts will be in two weeks time," Voldemort said. "Have you figured out the wards of the castle yet?"

"Harry has," Alex said. "We'll be able to successfully take the wards down at the time of the attack."

"Good," Voldemort said. "You may go back now, Alexander."

Alex hesitated.

"Is there something else?" Voldemort asked, narrowing his eyes.

Alex stood up.

"Father...we have a spy in our midst."

Voldemort hissed in anger.

"A spy? Who is it?!" he demanded.

Alex took a deep breath.

"Severus Snape," he said.

"And why haven't you told me this earlier?" Voldemort demanded.

"Harry and I only found out just recently, when we infiltrated the Order. Snape doesn't come by often, but when he did, we found out he was a spy the entire time," Alex said.

"That does not excuse this! You should've told me as soon as you found out!" Voldemort snarled. "You'll pay for your insolence. Crucio!"

Alex crumbled to the ground, struggling not to scream in pain. It seemed like forever before the curse was lifted.

"Stand up," Voldemort spat.

Alex shakily stood up. He was panting slightly from the effort of keeping his screams from escaping.

"Do not keep something like this from me again. Harrison will be punished for this as well, next time I see him," Voldemort said coldly. "Hold out your arm."

Alex held out his left arm, dispelling the wrappings. Voldemort walked forward and pressed his finger into the mark, making it burn in pain. Voldemort shoved him away.

"Severus Snape will be eliminated," he said. "Dismissed."

Alex bowed again before gripping the portkey Harry had given him. He appeared in the same spot in Hogwarts as before. He stumbled, still in pain from the after effects of the Cruciatus Curse. He slid to the ground, his body trembling slightly. Harry, who had been waiting for him to return, knelt down beside him.

"Let me guess, you told father about Severus and he didn't take it so well," Harry said.

Alex nodded, closing his eyes.

"I wonder how he'd react if he knew just how long we've been keeping Snape being a spy a secret," Harry said, laughing humorlessly. "Open your mouth."

Alex looked at his twin. Harry held one of his healing potions in his hand. Harry made a motion for him to open his mouth. Alex opened his mouth slightly, just enough for Harry to drop one drop of the potent healing potion into his mouth. Instantly, Alex felt better. The tremors and cold feeling went away with a slash of warmth.

"Thanks," he muttered.

Harry smiled.

"How long?" he asked.

"Two weeks," Alex said, knowing exactly what his twin wanted to know.

"That'll give us enough time to gradually bring down the wards. There are layers and layers upon the castle, but two weeks is enough time to get rid of them a little at a time," Harry said. "And during that time, Severus will probably be tortured and killed."

"Father has already summoned Snape. I had hoped he would wait at least another week, but father seemed too angry about it. He'll be dead by tomorrow if he isn't already." Alex said. "With the way Snape's described us to the Order and the fact that you weren't there when Sirius died, we already look suspicious. James already thinks you killed Sirius; this'll give him the perfect excuse to bring that up again. And the trio's already seen that I have both my wrists covered. They'll force me to reveal them and it'll be the end of our plan."

"Don't worry about that, dear brother," Harry said, smirking. "If they force you to unwrap the wrappings from your wrists...let's just say I have a plan for that as well."

Alex frowned, staring at his twin to try to get a clue of what Harry was planning. But Harry was unreadable. Harry's smirk widened slightly as if he knew what Alex was trying to do.

* * *

A week later, Snape was announced dead. Everyone was in a panic now, especially the Order.

"We've lost our only spy. What are we going to do?" Moody asked.

"That's the only thing you focus on?!" Molly exclaimed. "Severus was killed because he was a spy! We can't afford to send anyone else in!"

"I wasn't saying that," Moody said, hoping to placate Molly. "I mean, what is our next move?"

"What we should be wondering is how Voldemort found out about Snape," Dumbledore said.

"How'd he find out?" James asked, looking up from where he was comforting a sobbing Lily. "It was probably those kids You-Know-Who has working for him!"

"What makes you say that?" Tonks asked.

"Think about it! Snape always was saying he wouldn't tell us their names or anything else because they would know if he did! Those two kids ratted him out to You-Know-Who!" James shouted. "And if Snape was afraid to tell us about them, they must constantly be watching him, but because Snape isn't always at You-Know-Who's hideout, it must've been here at Hogwarts. That means we have two spies in the school right now!"

"There are lots of brothers in this school. It would be impossible to narrow it down," Remus said.

"Think back to what Snape told us about those two kids. One is a Death Eater, and he only appeared during the summer raids, especially the bigger raids. That means he's preoccupied by something else to be doing any other raid, most likely coming here to Hogwarts to gather information. The other brother is a potions maker, and at his age, he must be a genius. You saw that healing potion Snape stole from that kid. Even you couldn't figure it out, Albus!"

"What's your point?" Tonks asked.

"Don't those descriptions sounds familiar? They sound exactly like Alex and Harry Evans," James said, pointing to the twins.

"James, stop it!" Remus exclaimed. "They couldn't possibly join You-Know-Who and do such horrible things!"

"Remus, we don't know anything about those two. Albus accepted them without a second thought because you and Snape vouched for them as well as my son and his friends," James said.

Hermione jumped to their defense.

"They're our friends; we never sensed anything suspicious about them," she exclaimed.

"Actually..." Eric trailed off.

Hermione looked at her friend incredulously.

"Seriously?" she asked. "You doubt them?"

Eric sighed.

"I always thought something was off about them; no offense to you two," he said.

"None taken," Harry said.

"But Hermione, haven't you noticed that Alex wears those weird wrappings around his wrists all the time?" Ron asked. "It could be hiding a Dark Mark for all we know."

"Hang on a second," Alex said.

"He's right," James said. "I'm not letting this go, not this time. We can't afford to lose anyone else. Please understand me, Albus. You have to admit, something is off about those two. Even Sirius's death, something about it is not right. Bellatrix killing him silently isn't her style, even if it was a silencing spell."

Albus sighed and turned to the twins.

"I'm afraid in order to placate everyone, we will have to investigate James's accusation. Alex, please roll up your sleeves." he said.

Alex hesitated.

"Just do it, Alex," Harry said.

Alex glanced at him before rolling up his sleeves. The wrappings were still slightly stained with blood.

"Blood?" Hermione asked. "What happened, Alex?"

Alex didn't answer.

"Take them off, please," Dumbledore said.

Alex reluctantly reached for the wrappings. He hesitated slightly before slowly unwrapping them. He did the right wrist first and then the left one. James walked forward and grabbed his left wrist, revealing it to everyone.

There, on his left wrist, was...


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46**

Nothing.

His left wrist was bare, only smooth pale skin. There was no Dark Mark. The only things that marred his skin were the tiny white scars of the sentences from last year. There was no sign of any other mark nor of the claw marks from Harry digging his fingers into the Dark Mark earlier.

Harry. This was his doing. Alex knew it had to be. Who else could it be? But more importantly, how had he done it? The Dark Mark was a permanent mark and Alex had gotten it as a child, his father practically forcing it upon him as a sign of loyalty. Why he didn't do the same for Harry, Alex would never know why.

"Nothing," James said, blinking in surprise.

James checked his other arm. Nothing.

"What are those white scars?" Tonks asked.

"They're from last year," Alex said stiffly. "Umbridge enjoyed giving me detention a lot."

"Oh," Hermione said softly. "So that's why you were wearing the wrappings, to hide them."

"Yes," Alex said, yanking his arms away from James. "Are you all satisfied now?"

"Yes, thank you for cooperating with us, Alex," Dumbledore said.

Alex quickly rewrapped his wrists and yanked his sleeves down. Harry rested a hand on his shoulder, squeezing in a comforting way.

"Do you wish to see my wrists as well?" Harry asked.

"To be sure, yes please," Dumbledore said.

Harry quickly slid his sleeves up and held his arms out, revealing bare pale skin. Blue veins were clearly seen against his unnaturally pale white skin.

"Thank you," Dumbledore said. "I apologize for forcing you two to do this, but we have to be sure."

"It is understandable," Alex said.

"You two may go now," Dumbledore said. "You three may go as well."

The five walked out of the room, leaving the others to discuss their next move.

"I never knew you had that many scars, Alex. I'm sorry," Hermione said softly.

"It's fine. It happened last year, so there's nothing we can do about it anymore," Alex said.

"Umbridge was really cruel to you," Hermione said. "You don't want...revenge on her, right?"

Alex looked at her. Harry also glanced over in curiosity. Hermione slowed down to a stop. Alex and Harry stopped as well. Eric and Ron paused momentarily and glanced at her; Hermione motioned for them to go ahead of them. Eric and Ron nodded and waved goodbye before walking down the corridor.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked once they were gone.

"Earlier, you were explaining how to make someone truly suffer and how the way to make Umbridge suffer would be to completely break her mind until she was a shell of herself," Hermione said.

"That was hypothetical," Alex said.

"The way you spoke about it...it sounded so real, like you knew exactly what you were talking about. Almost like you had done it before," Hermione said.

"I assure you, I have moved on," Alex said.

Hermione smiled, although it was strained.

"Just making sure," she said. "Revenge is never the right path to follow; it'll only consume you until you completely lose yourself."

"I have no intention of following the path of revenge. I already said I moved on," Alex said.

Hermione nodded.

"I know," she said. "I still had to say it though."

Hermione abruptly hugged Alex. And then she hugged Harry.

"Take care, you two," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight," the twins said in unison as Hermione walked away.

Once she disappeared, Alex grabbed Harry and dragged him behind a pillar. He casted the necessary spells to keep them hidden.

"What did you do?" Alex demanded.

Harry tilted his head innocently.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Alex yanked his left sleeve up and in a flick of his wrist, the wrappings disappeared.

"This! What did you do?!" Alex exclaimed. "How did you make it disappear?! It wasn't a mere disguising; Dumbledore would've noticed right away. You made it completely disappear; what did you do?!"

"Calm down; your emotions will overwhelm you if you continue on like this," Harry said.

Alex gritted his teeth.

"Quit avoiding the question," he growled.

Harry touched his wrist. Alex almost flinched away. Harry gently took his wrist and caressed it lightly, making Alex shiver as it tickled.

"It is something I've been working on," Harry finally said. "I made it look like the mark disappeared, but it is a permanent mark, just as father intended. All I did was disguise it. As for how I did it...it's a secret."

Harry looked at Alex, icy blue meeting sickly green.

"Do you want it back?" Harry asked quietly. "I know you dislike the mark."

"Father would become suspicious if it were gone," Alex said just as quietly.

"Very well," Harry said.

Without warning, a slash of pain washed over Alex as quick as lightning. He winced at the pain and suddenly, the Dark Mark was on his left wrist once more. The nail marks from earlier were still there, having yet to stop bleeding.

"When you dug your nails into the mark, that's how you did it?" Alex asked.

"Partially," Harry said, smiling secretively. "But that's not all to how I did it; you're on the right track though."

Harry patted his twin on the cheek and smiled slightly.

"If you want it gone, just ask," he said.

Alex took a deep breath as the wrappings appeared again. He yanked his sleeve down and caught sight of an unfamiliar book in Harry's bookbag.

"What's that?" Alex asked. "I don't recognize that book."

Harry looked at the book and hummed.

"Don't worry about it just yet," he said. "I'll explain it later."

Alex frowned in suspicion.

"Hiding a book yet again? Last time, it was the Horcruxes. What is it this time?" he asked.

Harry locked eyes with him.

"I said I'll explain it later," he said. "You'll have to be patient, Alex."

Harry brushed past him.

"After all, patience is a virtue."

* * *

Alex tried to focus, but he couldn't. It had been five days since their cover had almost been blown. But that wasn't the thing on his mind; no Alex's mind kept going back to that mysterious book in his twin's bookbag. Just what was Harry hiding? Granted, Harry hid a lot of things from him, but this book wasn't any book Alex had seen Harry carry around before; it was too different. It was black from what he could see and there was no title on the spine of the book. Alex knew all of Harry's book since he had read through them all at least once. That was no easy task since Harry's library was fairly large. But this book...he had never seen it before.

Alex couldn't keep his curiosity under wraps any longer. He looked around for Harry. His twin had gone off to look for books as they were in the library. Alex reached for the bookbag. Suddenly, Hedwig hopped onto the table and snapped at his fingers. Alex yanked his fingers back to avoid Hedwig's sharp teeth.

Strange. Hedwig had never tried to bite him before; on the contrary, Hedwig liked him just as much as Harry.

Alex tried again. The same thing happened. He tried a third time. This time, Hedwig hissed at him and clawed at his fingers. Alex sighed. Hedwig moved to sit protectively on top of Harry's bookbag, her golden intelligent eyes staring at him as if daring him to try again.

Wait, intelligent? Hedwig was intelligent, yes, but now...she seemed even more so. She knew of his intentions to read the mysterious book and was protecting it for her master.

Alex frowned in suspicion, his mind racing about the possibilities of what the book could possibly be.


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47**

Soon, the two weeks were up. The day of the invasion had come quickly. It was like any other spring day, nice and sunny and warm. Nobody but the twins knew of the upcoming invasion that would occur that evening.

Harry effortlessly took down another ward.

"I'm done on my side," Alex said, walking over.

"Good," Harry said. "I've finished with the thickest parts of these wards."

"How many are left?" Alex asked.

"Too many, unfortunately," Harry said. "I may have miscalculated a little, but if I take them down all at once, everyone will notice. We'll have to do it all tonight when the invasion starts. It'll take both our powers to take down the rest of the wards in one big go. I can do a couple more layers right now, but any more than that and it'll be noticeable. What time is the invasion?"

Alex casted a tempus spell as Harry took down two more layers of the wards.

"It's almost noon right now. Everyone should be at lunch now. Father said around eight this evening," Alex said.

"Still a long ways to go then," Harry said.

Harry tucked his wand away.

"Let's go then," he said. "The trio will come looking for us if we're not there at lunch. We're already under suspicion; we can't reveal anything until the invasion."

"You mean to reveal ourselves during the invasion?" Alex asked.

"We'll have no choice. If we want to take the rest of the wards down all at once, it'll take our combined power to do so," Harry said. "That much magic is sure to draw attention to us. We might as well reveal who we are at the same time."

Harry smiled playfully, nudging his twin the side.

"Doesn't that sound fun? Look on the bright side, Alex; you don't need to learn how to fight against the Dark Arts anymore," he said. "You're so immersed in the Dark Arts that learning how to fight against them can hurt your magic a little."

Alex sighed.

"You make a compelling argument," he said slowly.

Harry grinned. They got the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione. Eric and Ron sat across from them as usual. The other Gryffindors had long gotten used to seeing them sit at their table and no longer stared them. Harry grabbed a cup of tea. Alex took a spoonful of mashed potatoes and began eating it.

"You two are later than usual," Hermione observed.

"We were walking slowly," Harry said, taking a sip of tea.

Hermione frowned at him.

"Harry, you should eat something," she said. "I don't think I saw you eat anything yesterday."

"I'm fine," Harry said.

"You can't live off of tea your whole life with the occasional meal of raw bloody steak," Hermione protested.

"That's exactly what I've been doing," Harry said. "I'm still alive, aren't I?"

"Not for much longer if you continue like this," Hermione said. "I'm just trying to help you, Harry. Alex, help me!"

"There's nothing much I can do." Alex replied, taking a sip of tea himself. "Besides, my eating habits aren't that good either."

"At least you eat something, even if it is just all vegetables," Hermione said, sighing in exasperation. "You two really worry me sometimes."

"This is just how we are; accept it," Harry said, chuckling.

"You two are my friends," Hermione said. "I care about you guys."

"Hey, what about us?" Ron asked.

"I have no concerns about you two, except for your grades," Hermione said. "You don't have eating problems like these two."

"Fair point," Ron muttered, gulping down some pumpkin juice.

"Hermione, we're fine, really," Alex said. "Stop worrying about us. We've been like this our whole lives; there's no changing now."

"I can still try," Hermione said. "I really am concerned about you two."

She sighed again.

"I guess there is no convincing you two though," she said. "But I'm still going to try to get you to eat more, Harry."

Harry raised an eyebrow before taking a sip. He pulled out his wand and casted a tempus.

"Oh, would you look at that? Time for class," he said.

In unison, the twins stood up and walked away.

"I'm not done with you two yet!" Hermione called after them.

"I believe if you stall anymore, you'll be late for Transfiguration," Alex called back.

"Transfiguration? Lucky; I have to go to Herbology," Harry said.

"Last time," Alex muttered.

Harry smirked.

"Indeed~"

* * *

Finally, it was almost the time of the invasion. Harry was rather restless and it was pretty obvious to the trio.

"Harry? Are you in a hurry to go somewhere?" Eric asked.

"No," Harry said. "I just want to go to the library before curfew."

"You can go now if you want," Hermione said.

"I'm waiting for Alex to finish eating," Harry said.

"At least I'm eating something," Alex muttered.

Harry pouted.

"So mean," he said. "I had a book I wanted to show you."

This was said in a rather secretive yet taunting tone only Alex could pick up on. Alex glanced at him and the mysterious book he had seen in Harry's bookbag came to mind. Harry smirked knowingly.

"Of course if you aren't interested, it can wait until later," Harry said.

He always did know how to push Alex's buttons. Alex put his fork down.

"Let's go," he said, grabbing his bookbag.

"Huh? Is it that important?" Ron asked.

"My curiosity will always pass hunger," Alex said.

The twins walked out.

"They're really weird," Ron said. "How did we become friends with them again?"

Hermione smiled.

"Books," was all she said.

Alex and Harry went behind a pillar.

"You're finally going to tell me," Alex said.

Harry took out the mysterious book and held it out. Alex took it and read the title: _Darkest of Dark Soul Magic_.

"Why would you need a book like this?" Alex asked, looking at Harry. "And where did you even find this?"

"I found it in the Black library. Walburga told me of this book when I asked her some questions. She said it would have everything I'm looking for, and it does," Harry said. "I'm surprised though..."

"About what?" Alex asked.

He made to open the book, but Harry stopped him by putting a hand on top of Alex's hand that was on the front cover.

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed any changes," Harry said quietly.

Alex frowned in confusion. But before he could ask anything else, there was an explosion and the castle shook.

"We're under attack!" they heard someone shout.

"Death Eaters! They're outside the castle!" another screamed.

The entire school began panicking until Dumbledore fired off some firecrackers.

"Silence!" he boomed.

Everyone felt quiet, yet the tension in the air was so thick it could be tasted. Everyone was frightened for their lives now.

"Everyone to the back of the castle," Dumbledore said. "The Dark Lord's army, it appears, to be at this side. The wards will protect everyone, but as a precaution, we should be prepared to evacuate however we can."

Everyone made towards the opposite side of the castle, but it was no use. There were only a few Death Eaters, but it was enough to trap them inside the castle.

"Calm down everyone," Dumbledore said. "The wards are still in place. They cannot get in unless all the wards were broken."

A cloaked figure came forward. They wore no mask. Everyone knew immediately this cloaked figure was Voldemort himself. He lowered his hood, his crimson red eyes glaring into all of them.

"I thought you would try to escape from this side of the castle," Voldemort said as he studied the castle. "And I see not all the wards have not been taken down yet. There are only a bare few layers keeping you safe from me, but not for much longer."

Dumbledore's eyes widened and he stretched his magic to scan the wards. Sure enough, there were only a few layers left, nothing compared to the layers of layers of wards in the beginning of the year. How had he not noticed?!

"You did not notice?" Voldemort asked, amused. "Of course you wouldn't; I sent in some of my best to take down the wards from the inside. Although, they seemed to have not held up their end of this invasion very well, seeing how there are still a few wards not broken."

"That's not true," Harry spoke up.

The twins stepped out of the shadows where they had been hiding.

"There were a lot of layers. It took us two weeks to take them down in a way so nobody would notice," Harry said.

"I see," Voldemort said.

"What is this about?" Dumbledore asked, frowning.

Hermione pushed her way forward.

"What are you two doing?!" she exclaimed.

"Is it not obvious? We're betraying all of you~" Harry giggled.

"How could you join that man?!" Hermione exclaimed. "What did he offer you?!"

"You don't seem to understand, Hermione," Alex said coldly. "We weren't offered anything. We were sent here as spies from first year."

Hermione stepped back, shocked and in denial.

"No, I won't believe it!" she exclaimed. "It can't be true! We're friends!"

"We deliberately became friends with you in order to infiltrate the Order," Alex said. "In truth, you are actually quite annoying."

"A little know-it-all," Harry said. "It took Alex a full week to accept doing a study group with you just so we could get into your little friend group and then into the Order. But really, it was a piece of cake. All of you are very trusting; it's almost funny."

"Who are you really?" Dumbledore asked, narrowing his eyes.

Alex and Harry took out their wands.

"Our true names are Alexander Riddle and Harrison Riddle," Alex said.

"And we're the sons of the Dark Lord," Harry finished.

In unison, the twins pointed their wands up and a blast of magic flew out, hitting the shields around the castle. The wards were destroyed in a loud explosion. Voldemort smirked cruelly.

"Well done, my sons," he said. "You're not a complete disappointment after all. Attack!"

The students screamed as the Death Eaters surged forward. The professors leapt forward to protect the students.

"There's too many of them!" James shouted. "We can't hold them off, Albus!"

Harry hummed as he watched the castle get overrun. Alex sighed.

"Not going to join them?" Harry asked.

"Not in the mood to," Alex said. "And besides, you still have to tell me about that book."

Harry chuckled.

"That is something to be spoken about in private, not in the midst of a battle, Alex," he said.

Harry whistled. A few seconds later, Hedwig ran out of the castle, avoiding trampling feet and wayward spells easily. She leapt into Harry's arms and meowed.

"Is my bookbag in a safe place?" Harry asked.

Hedwig meowed in reply and seemed to nod as well.

"Good girl," Harry said, scratching Hedwig's chin, making the black girl purr in content.

Harry hooked his arm around Alex's arm, pulling out the small portkey he always seemed to have on his person.

"Let's go," he said.

A second later, they were standing in Harry's lab. Hedwig hopped out of Harry's arms. Harry flicked his wrist and his bookbag appeared on a chair. He pulled out the book and opened it, flipping through it.

"Let's see," Harry humming. "Ah! Here we go."

Harry turned the book towards Alex. Alex read the title of the page and his eyes widened in shock. He looked at his twin.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked in disbelief.

Harry smiled, his sickly green eyes sparkling.

"Positive." he replied.

"You can't be serious, Harry! This is too dangerous!" Alex exclaimed.

"Oh Alex, I thought you would've realized the changes by now." Harry purred.

Alex frowned, studying him. Suddenly, it hit him. He looked at Hedwig, who was licking her paw on the chair. She felt him staring and paused to stare at him back.

"No...you already...?" Alex trailed off, speechless.

Harry chuckled darkly.

"Yes I did~"


End file.
